Euro 2012, Group C, Gdansk, Sunday, 5pm
WORLD champions and Euro holders Spain make their Euro 2012 bow today and are 4-7 favourites with the likes of William Hill and Ladbrokes to top the section
The Spanish remain head of the anteposts as they try to make it three major tournament wins in a row but plenty of punters are still to be convinced by their credentials.
Having said they are in quite a friendly Group C alongside Italy, Croatia and Republic of Ireland who all face a battle for second spot.
Italy are favourites to finish second but they’ve been rattled by the match-fixing scandal in their country and questions marks hang over their ability to focus on the job in hand.
So I reckon Spain will make a winning start even though the absence of key striker David Villa and vital defender Carles Puyol slightly concerns me.
Spain love to play in the same style of Barcelona and of course their reign was ended as sides such as Real Madrid and Chelsea learned how to stop them playing.
Italy of course are past masters of stopping teams playing and I'm sure they'd take a 0-0 before kick-off.
The Italians are friendless at 16-1 on the outrights and are as big as 9-2 at BetVictor to beat Spain with the draw 11-4 at BetVictor.
Spain are a best 4-5 with Blue Square and the odds look pretty fair.
Picking a first scorer in the absence of Villa isn’t easy with Vicente del Bosque looking like he’ll go with Alvaro Negredo or Fernando Torres up top. With doubts over who will be at centre-forward i'd go with David Silva to net at any time at 7-2 with Paddy Power.
Man City’s midfielder is often pushed into an advance role by del Bosque and has scored in four of his last six internationals.
With Puyol missing Italy have a chance to get at Spain's central defence but I don't expect them to be over-ambitious which is why you can get decent odds of 10-1 on likely starters Antonio Cassano or Mario Balotelli to score first.
Anyone who's watched Balotelli at Man City will know he's a bit of a hothead and although this is pretty speculative I ‘m slightly tempted by 7-1 from Paddy Power and sportingbet on him to be be booked first.
Incredibly Spain have beaten Italy once in nine competitive games but they look to have too much quality for their rivals this time so back them to win to nil at 7-4 at Ladbrokes.
It could be a slow burner as Germany v Portugal was last night and draw/Spain pays a best
7-2 at Ladbrokes.
Recommendations
Spain
(4-5, Blue Square)
Spain to win to nil
(7-4, Ladbrokes)
Silva to score
(7-2, Paddy Power)
In December 2020 we sadly 
I’ve just lumped on Spain at 5/6 with PP. quite generous of them I think!
Waiting on spain for my treble. Think this could be similar to germany portugal game last night and just hope spain have enough to break the defensive italians down. I may make a covering bet of 0-0 as thats the only result i can see if spain dont win altho im pretty confident they will.
Just 2 let y’all know,bet365 r doing their offer where they match any pre-game bet with an in-play bet 2 the same value up to £50. Think it might only b for existing customers. They’ve done this before and if u cover both teams and the draw between the 2 bets u r guaranteed a win. At the moment Spain r 10/11 and Italy/Draw is 4/5. Guaranteed £40 by my calculations :)
William hills price for Silva to score in a spain victory gone from 16/5 to 7/1 !!
Joe, is that a special offer? It’s a big difference.
I really dont see many goals tonight . I’d probably take Spain vs Italy and Ireland v Croatia under 2.5 double @2/1 on skybet
I fancy 0-0 in the Spain game @ 7/1
Steve, most of the first round of games have an unders feel. Back them all to go that way and you won’t go too far wrong. Three out of four so far and as you say two chances today.
Advertised on tv and in paper paul.
Joe, hadn’t seen it but got to be worth a look.
Wee trixie
France @ 9/2
Handicap Betting(-1.0)
France v England
N Jelavic to score in 90 minutes and Croatia to win the match @ 7/2
Wincast
Ireland v Croatia
Spain @ 12/5
Handicap Betting(-1.0)
Spain v Italy
absolote garbage torres not starting not to good for my torres top goalscorer bet
Danny, don’t think del Bosque rates any of the strikers. How he must wish Villa was fit.
no doubt villa has been the main man for them for a while now seriously missed judging by this first half performance lack off
Negredo 9/1 first goal with Stan James is madness
Spain starting without a striker what on earth is going on lol
Chris, looks like Silva and Iniesta will be furthest forward. It’s one reason why I went for Silva to score but Iniesta probably worth a bet too. It’s an incredible snub to Llorente, Torres and Negredo.
Is anyone else having problems with Sky’s Fantasy Football. I can’t change my captain, my score is wrong and so is everyone elses’ and it won’t allow any postings!!
John, people seem to have had a few problems since the start, probably volume of use.
Couldnt ignore the 8/1 for Fabregas first goal as he is playing the lone striker role. Ladbrokes online cut to 5/1 but 8/1 still in the shops.
I’ve gone £20 Fabregas first @ 8/1
£10 draw/Spain @ 7/2
iniesta manofthematch @9s at ladbrokes worth a bet
Yeah Ali that is a good price, I’d snap it up
Chris, this should be interesting. I’m still on Spain and a goal for Silva or Iniesta or both would be great. What about your man Busquests at 40s? Have you not backed him in the past?
Chris, just remembered I had a wee bet late last night on Balotelli for first booking and flagged it up in today’s piece at 7-1. Hope some others took it.
Did u take the 7/1 for silva goal in a spain win paul?
Joe, didn’t take it. Tend to singles. Have Silva to score as my main bet.
Agree with that danny. But they are playing into italys hands with no centre forward. Not going to be good to watch if all teams park the bus against the good teams!
Alex, best game so far has been Poland v Greece. What were the odds on that? Hopefully Croatia v Ireland will be better tonight. At least might be a faster pace. I like watching Spain but they don’t half overdo it. Get Llorente on and fling over a few crosses for him to head one in.
Paul they must bring on a front man or all teams will know there tactics before the game starts! Plus torres was just starting to play at the end of the season!
Alex, it must be a one-off tactic for the Italy game otherwise he wouldn’t have taken strikers to the finals. Craig Levein must be leaving it because after Scotland played with no strikers against Czech Republic he said top teams would go that way at some point.
Paul I just came on to compliment you there mate. Well done. I never had any cash in my account and nowhere near a shop. Never done that guy at 40/1 and there is every chance one of the defenders could score. You’re right about silva and intesta playing the forward role. Fabregas not getting forward enough for my liking. Who do you think they will take off for Llorente? I wish I had done iniesta man of the match that Ali flagged up as a great price and I’m pretty certain he will get it. Look out a good bet for fixtures on 15th mate (payday) looking for approx £800 profit although I’ll settle for £700 or £600 lol
Cheers Chris. It was a bit speculative though. Probably take off Fabregas if they put on a striker.
This is what we want! And that should have been red!
Febregas too late for me. I need Spain to win!!
Typical. Torres on so maybe going for the win.
Bookies cleaned up the boys! Torres will never be the player he was 4yr ago at liverpool. Wrong sub sent on!
Alex, had to be Llorente. But it shows what happens when you put a striker on. Two or three great chances but never looked like taking any of them.
Ah well my treble beat. Torres no confidence by that showing. Del Bosque may have to rethink his tactics if spain to do much in euros altho italy played better than we expected.
Torres is a waste of space, so lacking in confidence it’s unreal. Like last night I’m now relying on the later ko to shoot back into profit. Backed Croatia, see how that goes
and man of the match mandzukic
Commentator predicted it right, in saying that surely fact Spain started with no striker, it would have a huge detrimental effect on the 3 strikers on the bench! Very strange tactics, and could prove to haunt them throughout the tournament, even if starting with a striker in next game! They must be fuming and wondering how little confidence their manager must have in each of them!