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Germany's Thomas Muller cooks a Risotto during a press conference. As you do. Frank Augstein/AP/Press Association Images
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Euro 2012, day 15

Are the Germans looking a little too laid-back going into their quarter-final with Greece tonight?

The second of four quarter-finals will be held in good old Gdansk later this evening but we’ll fill you in on all the news and views from the tournament until then.

If you’ve come across anything particularly weird or wonderful, let us know via email ben@thescore.ie, on Twitter or in the comments section below and we’ll post it and give you a name check.

Good afternoon, one and all. So, with Leo Messi nowhere to be seen it seems Cristiano Ronaldo is beginning to step up to the mantle of being the most technically-gifted player at Euro 2012. In last night’s 1-0 win over the Czech Republic, the Portugal skipper headed home Joao Moutinho’s cross to score the winner and hand Paulo Bento’s side a semi-final meeting with either Spain or France.

Apart from the goal and Luis Figo’s celebration, our favourite part of the night was Martin Keown’s comparison of Ronaldo to an “NFL basketball player”.

Read Miguel Delaney, who was in Warsaw for the game last night, on why the Real Madrid star is more than halfway to the Ballon D’Or.

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Much has been made about the political subtext to tonight’s last eight clash between highly-fancied Germany and Euro 2004 winners but huge underdogs Greece. German chancellor Angela Merkel will be in attendance and is likely to be on the receiving end of some abuse from disgruntled Greek fans while Germany tabloid Bild has already stuck the boot in with this splash this morning.

The headline reads: “Bye Greece! Today we cannot save you.”

[h/t Business Insider]

Not to worry Greece, Diego Maradona has looked to ancient mythology (or Hollywood) to offer you a glimmer of hope…

In the aftermath of the Czech Republic’s exit from the finals last night, 30-year-old (!!) Milan Baros has today announced his international retirement. The former Liverpool striker scored 41 goals in 93 appearances for his country, and won the Golden Boot award at Euro 2004, but has had a pretty awful tournament leading to some joking that he had hung up his boots long before the finals had even begun. Credit: Petr David Josek/AP/Press Association Images

Most Irish fans have made their return home after Ireland’s early exit from the competition but this comical video, showing supporters of the Boys in Green serenading a female Polish police officer and her male colleagues, has only just surfaced:

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(h/t: Balls.ie)

Germany v Greece… Monty Python style.

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And there’s still seven matches to be played. How many more headers do you reckon we’ll see?

Portugal have played the same starting XI in all four of their Euro 2012 matches so far but will be forced to make at least one change for their semi-final as striker Helder Postiga has been ruled out because of an injury sustained to a thigh muscle.

Read more here.

A lot of talk on Twitter that Germany are planning to rest a number of players in tonight’s quarter-final with one eye on the latter stages. Attacking trio Mario Gomez, Thomas Muller and Lukas Podolski could all be given the night off in place of Miroslav Klose, Andre Schurrle and Marco Reus if reports are to be believed.

Jogi Loew’s side are clear favourites and do have strength-in-depth but could the move backfire on them?

Miguel Delaney gives a run-down, including key battles, recent form and his prediction on tonight’s Euro 2012 action here. We strongly advise you to go read it… right away.

According to The Guardian’s Rafael Honigstein, Germany aren’t resting players… they’re bringing in players who are better suited to playing against tonight’s opposition.

The teams have been named for tonight’s game and it looks like the rumours were true:

Greece: Sifakis, Torosidis, Sokratis, Papadopoulos, Tzavellas, Makos, Katsouranis, Maniatis, Ninis, Samaras, Salpingidis

Germany: Neuer, Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Reus, Ozil, Schurrle, Klose

No far away from kick-off now, so it’s time to join Adrian Russell who has just got the match liveblog up and running. Here’s the link.

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