Match Preview: Viktoria Plzeň vs Manchester City

Kompany expected to return for City's first Champions League game

By Aaron Leggott

City have travelled to Eastern Europe for their first Champions League game of the season with a big boost after it was announced that Vincent Kompany is set to return to the side to face Viktoria Plzeň, the current Czech champions.

Most are predicting a comfortable victory for Manuel Pellegrini's men, but with Plzeň still yet to lose after eight domestic games, City might be in for quite a shock in the Czech Republic.

The task will not be made any easier as defenders Gaël Clichy and Micah Richards are doubtful, whilst new signing Martin Demichelis misses out once again thanks to a knee injury.

Photo: Official MCFC Facebook

In the Spotlight: Viktoria Plzeň

No. 5: A lowdown on the Czech champions and their chances of European success this year

By Aaron Leggott

Ahead of our first Champions League game of the season, Aaron Leggott caught up with Czech football expert Chris Boothroyd (@theczechup) - editor of the very successful website "The Czech Up." 

Štruncovy Sady, the home of Viktoria Plzeň
Photo: http://bitoredfan.blogspot.co.uk/

EURO 2012: Group A Review

Questionable refereeing, dodgy goal-keeping, but certainly a thrashing.

Match day 1: By Tom Smart

Robert Lewandowski opens the
EURO 2012 scoring
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe

The opening day of the European Championships without doubt sent messages of enthralling excitement to fans that have waited for football since the end of the domestic season. The day began with the early kick-off where co-hosts Poland took on a supposedly weaker Greek side including ex-City striker, Georgios Samaras.

The game burst into life with the hosts firing on all cylinders and certainly in the mood to impress the home crowd. A quick tempo took the Greeks by surprise and in the 17th minute a whipped cross in by Jakub Blaszczykowski found the soaring head of Robert Lewandowski to put the Poles in the lead.

The Greeks were stunned and hung on for the rest of the half despite being reduced to 10 men. Sokratis Papastathopoulos was initially booked for what seemed a fair challenge, before then being booked a second time for bringing down Polish attacker Ludovic Obraniak. A harsh decision on the Greek side who within minutes also had seen a debatable decision be ruled against them when the were shouts for a handball inside the area by a Polish defender.

EURO 2012: Day One Preview

Lewandowski to grab vital goal for Poland...

By Archie Barnett

The start of the prestigious EURO 2012 trophy beckons, with the first game set to take place in a few hours between co-host Poland and previous EURO champions Greece. Later on this evening, the second game of group A will take place between Russia and Czech Republic.