Courtesy: UEFA.com


Russia's Cirilo wants to dethrone Spain

Cirilo knows this could be his last chance to claim a major title with Russia and believes their semi-final opponents Spain "have spent too much time on the throne".

Wednesday 5 February 2014

by Mikhail Malkin from Antwerp

Cirilo has been a crucial part of Russia's futsal set-up ever since his debut in 2006 but the 34-year-old MFK Dinamo pivot knows it is now or never if he is to win a major trophy.

He belatedly reached a final at UEFA Futsal EURO 2012 only to be suspended as Russia were denied by Spain in heartbreaking fashion. Two years on, these teams meet in the semi-finals in Antwerp on Thursday with Spain aiming for a fifth straight title, and Cirilo told UEFA.com they "have spent too much time on the throne".


UEFA.com: What do you think of Spain, who you have met so many times?
Cirilo: Spain are not just another opponent, they are a great team. I hope that tomorrow we will play even better than in the previous matches. Of course, I am a bit nervous, because our opponents are very tough and it will be the semi-finals. They are strong in terms of individual quality and team performance as well. Their set plays are very good. But I think Spain feel nerves too.


UEFA.com: Two years ago you were less than a minute from winning the final against them before losing in extra time …
Cirilo: I hope tomorrow we will not let them repeat the scenario of the last final. We are dreaming about victory. Spain have spent too much time on the throne, we should give them a rest! It's too many trophies for them. It would be good for futsal if any other team won this time. Now it is our turn. It will be very sad if we don't win the title. It's our time.


UEFA.com: Spain opened with a 3-3 draw against Croatia – are they vulnerable?
Cirilo: Some people said Spain got weaker after the last finals. But their game is so organised that there is no difference, whatever the personnel. They have their own style and play the same game every time, regardless of the players they have within the squad. I personally think they are at the same level now.

[Ortiz's suspension] is a big blow for Spain, he is one of their best defenders. It's good for us that he can't play.


UEFA.com: You were third in 2007, lost on penalties to Spain in the 2010 quarter-finals then in extra time in the 2012 final – is this now your last chance?
Cirilo: Yes. It is probably my last chance to win the European Championship. So my desire is just huge. We want to enter the history of Russian futsal. Tomorrow I will play one of the biggest matches in my career.


UEFA.com: Eder Lima has come in and scored seven goals in these finals …
Cirilo: Every one of us gets a chance to show his abilities. Eder Lima has already scored many goals and I hope he will score even more. Of late, Eder Lima and Robinho have done a lot for our team, many great things.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Leitão, Portugal in fine fettle for Italy tie

Portugal have never been "as prepared as we are now" for a semi-final on Thursday against Italy, Leitão told UEFA.com as he looked forward to facing club-mate Stefano Mammarella.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

by Nuno Tavares from Antwerp

Portugal had to wait 21 years and 17 matches to register their first win against Italy but, as they prepare to face the Azzurri in the UEFA Futsal EURO 2014 semi-finals on Thursday, Leitão believes Jorge Braz's men have what it takes to emulate the outcome of their last meeting: a 4-2 friendly victory 12 months ago.

The 33-year-old is the right man to assess Portugal's chances of reaching the final as he now plays in Italy for Acquaesapone Emmegross C/5, where a certain goalkeeper named Stefano Mammarella – who has shone for the 2003 winners in this tournament – is his club-mate. "He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world," Leitão told UEFA.com. "It will be special to play against him, for sure, but I want to score a goal or two."

Portugal had to be at their best to beat Ukraine 2-1 in the quarter-finals and Leitão feels the side are finally showing what they lacked in previous championships, despite featuring some of the most talented players in the game. "I truly believe we were never as prepared as we are now," he explained.

"In the past we put on a spectacle in each game, but when the decisive moment came we failed. In this EURO we are still playing attractive futsal, but with another kind of mentality. We are much more focused and I hope that can make all the difference against Italy.

"It was very important for us that we managed to finally beat them. They were our bogey team, a kind of persistent nightmare which always returns. However, a semi-final at a European Championship is a completely different story. We respect them a lot, but we believe in our own quality and I believe we have a very good chance to prevail."

Portugal's record against Italy is anything but encouraging, yet Leitão is maintaining a positive outlook. "We don't have to think about the past. Most of the players who are here were not even involved in all those matches against them. Only our team is important, not our opponents. This group of players deserve to be in the final and will do everything in our power to secure that."

Having never scored in five appearances against Italy, Leitão will not get carried away if he corrects that statistic. "It's all about the team and not the individual," he said. "We are thinking one game at a time and for the moment I just want to wake up Friday morning and know we are in the final."

The man determined to spoil that dream only has words of praise for the Portugal forward. "Leitão, the great Leitão," enthused Mammarella. "He is a great player. He is experienced and he is giving a lot to Portugal. We will have to be very careful with him." His colleagues have been warned.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Romano's Italy feats make father proud

Sergio Romano has made a habit of scoring early goals for Italy in Antwerp, to delight his biggest fan, father Stefano. UEFA.com meets the pair ahead of the semi-final with Portugal.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

by Paolo Menicucci from Antwerp

Italy's last two games at UEFA Futsal EURO 2014 in Antwerp have had one thing in common: an early Sergio Romano goal setting them on their way to victory – to the delight of his biggest fan, dad Stefano.

"He is an ultra," Romano Jr told UEFA.com. "He has great passion, I'm lucky because he has been following me since I was a kid, but I've never felt any kind of pressure from him. He never gives me technical or tactical advice but it's nice to have a chat and a coffee with him when we have a spare hour in these tournaments. He feels as excited as if he was playing himself."

That Italy could prepare for a semi-final against Portugal on Thursday did not seem so likely when they lost their opener 3-2 to Slovenia. The Azzurri then had to beat Azerbaijan by two goals to qualify from Group C – yet the pressure was off once the 26-year-old Romano gave them the lead after one minute and 33 seconds, the match ending in a 7-0 win. And two days later it took just 46 seconds for the Pescara C/5 player to put Italy ahead in the 2-1 quarter-final victory against Croatia.

"I'm not really used to scoring goals, it means I'm in a good spell of form," said the defender, who suffered a serious knee ligament injury last February but recovered in time to travel to Belgium. "I could not even imagine that I could reach this level of fitness, but I was hoping for it and worked hard to achieve it. I was counting the months until this tournament, I wanted to make it because I really care about the national team."

Not only him. His father Stefano, who has stayed in a caravan in Belgium, rates victories well above his son's goal streak. "Results are more important for me because this group of players have been trying to win a trophy for a few years and they would deserve to do it," he said. "I'm a huge fan of my son but the team come first. I have followed many tournaments since he was a child. I have this great passion for Italy so I consider myself lucky and proud that my son is wearing the shirt."

Distances are no problem for Stefano either, as proved at the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup. "He came to Thailand two years ago, so Belgium was just like a trip outside Rome," Sergio said. In Bangkok, Italy earned a famous 4-3 quarter-final success against Thursday's rivals Portugal after being down 3-0 at half-time, a turnaround father and son remember well.

"I hope it will be different this time with Italy taking the lead because it was very hard to follow that game from the stands as a fan, it was too exciting," Stefano recalled, while his son added: "It's something you rarely see in a match that important. We were shocked after the first half but we made it."

But how to win this time? "I never give advice, I just limit myself to following the team with all my heart," Stefano said. Romano Jr will certainly be giving everything – after all, he "will be here tomorrow but his dream may not".




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Spain and Russia renew rivalry

Spain and Russia meet once again in Thursday's semi-final with José Venancio López looking to replace banned Ortiz and Sergei Skorovich grateful for an extra day's rest.

Wednesday 5 February 2014

by Paul Saffer & Gonzalo Aguado from Antwerp

Only one UEFA Futsal EURO has ever finished without Spain meeting Russia and 2014 will be no exception after Thursday's semi-final.

Spain overcame Russia in extra time after a 40th-minute equaliser two years ago in the Zagreb showpiece, to follow final wins in 1996 and 2005 and triumphs at other stages on their way to victory in 2001, 2007 and 2010 against the side that beat them to the title in 1999. Coaches José Venancio López and Sergei Skorovich were both at the helm for the last two encounters in this tournament, as well as Spain's 3-2 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup last-eight win, and their mutual respect is clear.

"Russia are very strong; they are one of the world's powerhouses," said Spain's Venancio López. Skorovich, considering the absence of their opponents' injured captain Torras and suspended defender Ortiz, added: "Spain are not just about Torras and Ortiz. It's pity if your team loses leading players, but Spain have individuals to replace them. Spain are favourites as they are European champions."

Venancio López, whose side drew 3-3 with Croatia before beating the Czech Republic 8-1 and quarter-final opponents Slovenia 4-0, agrees with Skorovich's assessment despite Russia's free-scoring displays in Antwerp. "I don't like that people look on them as favourites, I prefer to assume that role," he said. "If people are saying that Russia are favourites, well, that might act as an extra motivation for us. We are a winning team and we will show that tomorrow."

Though Venancio López's squad have been "moving up the gears" in Belgium, the absence of Ortiz against seven-goal top scorer Eder Lima and fellow world-class pivot Cirilo is a challenge. "Somebody will have to work on the Russian pivots," the coach said. "We will have to shuffle through the options while looking to have them completely under control.

"We will need to look for the best solutions in every facet of the game. We have this evening to train and to look to put into practice ideas for tomorrow. Studying the opposition will be very important. Russia are a great side and they have demonstrated why in the past few years. It will be a difficult game, but tomorrow could be a great day for us."

Russia have a banned player themselves, Pula, following his straight red card in the 4-4 group stage draw with Portugal that followed a 7-1 defeat of the Netherlands. They then swatted Romania aside 6-0 on Monday, 24 hours before Spain's last-eight fixture.

"To have a day extra for recovery and preparation – that was good," Skorovich said. "But I would not say that this factor will be of decisive importance. Russia and Spain are two experienced teams."






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com