fabregas670afp
Trying to guess results is a tradition in the Spain squad and is usually organized by Carles Puyol. -Photo by AFP

GNIEWINO: Cesc Fabregas isn't just scoring goals for Spain, he's also the European champions' most savvy clairvoyant when it comes to predicting results at Euro 2012.

Fabregas, who has scored two goals in two matches like teammate Fernando Torres, leads David Silva in Spain's pre-tournament predictions for the first 16 games at Euro 2012.

Trying to guess results is a tradition in the Spain squad and is usually organized by Carles Puyol. The defender is absent from Euro 2012 due to injury and his duties have passed to Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets in Poland and Ukraine.

Spain striker Alvaro Negredo is in third place and predicted a 2-0 victory for Spain in its final Group C match against Croatia on Monday. The Sevilla forward was sticking by that pick on Saturday.

“It's something we do for a little bit of fun inside the team,” Spain defender Raul Albiol said on Saturday at the team's training base in northern Poland. The Real Madrid defender believed Spain would win 1-0 on Monday.

Both of the players' results would leave Spain top of Group C and would allow Italy to advance to the quarterfinals if it beats already-eliminated Ireland on Monday.

Albiol and Negredo did not reveal who they picked to win the tournament, nor their pick for that other Group C match. In Italy, there is fear of a repeat of Euro 2004 when the Italians exited at the group stage following a 2-2 draw between Sweden and Denmark.

A 2-2 result at the Arena Gdansk on Monday would put Spain and Croatia into the knockout stages and leave Italy out, again.

“That's a result that could happen in a game of football. But, clearly for us, we will go out looking for victory like always,” Albiol said.

“There's no pact. We don't want to have to depend on anyone else.

“We want to finish top of the group.”

Opinion

Editorial

X post facto
Updated 19 Apr, 2024

X post facto

Our decision-makers should realise the harm they are causing.
Insufficient inquiry
19 Apr, 2024

Insufficient inquiry

UNLESS the state is honest about the mistakes its functionaries have made, we will be doomed to repeat our follies....
Melting glaciers
19 Apr, 2024

Melting glaciers

AFTER several rain-related deaths in KP in recent days, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has sprung into...
IMF’s projections
Updated 18 Apr, 2024

IMF’s projections

The problems are well-known and the country is aware of what is needed to stabilise the economy; the challenge is follow-through and implementation.
Hepatitis crisis
18 Apr, 2024

Hepatitis crisis

THE sheer scale of the crisis is staggering. A new WHO report flags Pakistan as the country with the highest number...
Never-ending suffering
18 Apr, 2024

Never-ending suffering

OVER the weekend, the world witnessed an intense spectacle when Iran launched its drone-and-missile barrage against...