Day 18: Ramos is a brave man
LFC TV's Matt Critchley is in Poland to bring us daily updates as 16 nations compete for the European Championships crown. Here is his latest update.
Rest days are an essential part of a tournament like this for the players, I understand that. It's just for everyone else, especially those that have been away from home for a month, they're a right pain in the backside!
After a couple of 'slow' days I was relieved to see the football return last night - although at times it seemed as if both Spain and Portugal were still on a rest day! I thought it was a good game, far from the vintage Spain we've seen in recent years, and you'd have to say that they were fortunate to go through in the end.
A special doff of my cap must go to Sergio Ramos. I covered the Champions League semi-final earlier in the year between Real and Bayern Munich and, having been in the stadium, let me tell you his last penalty has still not hit row Z yet! To respond to that by volunteering to take a pen was bottle enough, to execute the Panenka/Pirlo was coolness personified. Brave man.
Cristiano Ronaldo also missed a pen in that shoot-out. Where was he last night? Missing altogether? Or the 5th taker waiting in the wings? And was that designed for him to be the hero? The man to take his country through with the decisive kick? If that was the plan, it looks a little silly this morning.
My Portuguese cameraman over here, Nuno, will be in bits today. It's going to cost me a fair few espressos to fire him back into life.
Yesterday was also spent at the press conferences and pre-game training sessions of the other two semi-finalists, the Germans and the Italians, who meet here in Warsaw later. Cesare Prandelli spoke about 'dreaming of a fantastic win', Joachim Loew simply said he believes his side's greater energy levels will take them through to the final. The way they speak, the way they train, the way they conduct themselves, the way they play, the Germans have such confidence in their own ability. It would be a major shock if they didn't progress tonight.
And don't forget (as if you could as I keep reminding you!) that they were my tip for the tournament all the way back in my first blog - 19 days ago. If that's not a curse ahead of this evening's game, then I don't know what is.