Liveblogging the Euro 2008 Draw

By: Martha | December 2nd, 2007

cup picture I really didn’t mean to be up the early, but I am, so here goes.

640am: A bald man is reviewing which team is in which pot. Why did no one boo when they said both hosts were seeded top and already drawn? He’s making it sounds as if it’s the simplest thing in the world — this dude, whoever he is, is damn good. He needs a cult, I think, so he can mold people to his will more productively.

643am: The Dutch are drawn as the top team in Group C, which means the Greeks (W00T!) are the first seed in Group D. None of which matters until the rest of the teams in the groups are drawn, obviously.

644am: Turkey are the first teams drawn from the next pot, they’re going into group A with Switzerland (who knocked them out last year) in place A4.

645am: Group B’s second team — they’re drawing from Pot 4 now — Poland; they’re going into Austria’s group — neither team has never played in the Euros before. You know Germany are going to end up in this group, the bastards. (The Poles are in slot B4, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.)

646am: Bwaahahaaaa! France just got drawn into group C with Holland. Hhhhhahahahhahaaaaaaa! *ahem* They’re in spot C4.

648am: That’s leaves Russia in Group D with Greece. That could be a good group. Not, obviously, the Group of Death, but good nevertheless. (They’re D4.)

649am: Portugal are third seed in Group A, playing the Swiss and the Turks; they’re in slot A3 (whoever the fourth team drawn into this group is will play the opening match with Switzerland.)

650am: What did I tell you?! Germany in Group B, with Austria and Poland. Look out for that Germany-Austria match. Slop B3 for them. Surely these slot draws are fixed? Did someone not put the 2s in the bin?

651am: Romania go into Group C with Germany and Holland. Poor Mutu. (They’re C3. Do I ever need to tell you this anymore?)

652am: That leaves Spain in D with Greece and Russia. This is going to be a really tough group — fingers crossed Italy don’t end up here. (Not surprisingly, Spain are D3.)

653am: The Czechs are the final team into Group A; the first match will be Austria v Czech Republic.

654am: Croatia join Group B; they’ll open up in Vienna against Austria on 8 June.

655am: What did I tell you? Group of death (the Don grinned in response to the draw): Italy, Romania, Holland and France. Motherfucker. Can’t wait to hear what Domenech has to say about this one.

656am: That leaves Sweden in group D.

Prepare for the conspiracy theories in the Italian press, and in Raymond Domenech’s mind.

Full groups listed after the jump.

GROUP A
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Portugal
Turkey

GROUP B
Austria
Croatia
Germany
Poland

GROUP C
Netherlands
Italy
Romania
France

GROUP D
Greece
Sweden
Spain
Russia