GROUP A (Sunday)
Switzerland (0 pts, out) v Portugal (6, winners), Turkey (3) v Czech Republic (3)
Portugal have clinched first place and Switzerland will finish fourth ahead of their game in Basel, so the focus will be on the winner-takes-all meeting of the Czech Republic and Turkey in Geneva. After a win and a loss each, the two teams are level in second place on points, goal difference and goals scored, so if they draw over 90 minutes, under UEFA regulations there will be a penalty shoot-out.

GROUP B (Monday)
Poland (1) v Croatia (6, winners), Austria (1) v Germany (3)
Croatia are confirmed group winners so will take on Turkey or the Czech Republic in Vienna on 20 June. However, Germany, Austria and Poland all have chances of earning a Basel tie against Portugal the night before. Germany, two points ahead of their rivals, need only draw with co-hosts Austria in Vienna as then Poland could not catch them on head-to-head record even if they beat Croatia in Klagenfurt. If Austria win they would go through, unless Poland defeat Croatia by a bigger margin to overtake the co-hosts’ currently superior goal difference (1-2 to 1-3).

If Austria and Poland finish level in second position on points, goal difference and goals scored, they will be split on qualifying coefficients (points per game) from the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO 2008™, and Poland are superior 2.167-1.500 (only Austria’s World Cup results count as they did not have to qualify for this tournament).

Group C (Tuesday)
Netherlands (6, winners) v Romania (2), France (1) v Italy (1)
Again, top spot is decided in favour of the Netherlands, and second-placed Romania will join the Dutch in the quarter-finals by winning their encounter in Berne. If Romania draw or lose then that would allow either France or Italy to go through by winning their match in Zurich – the only way Les Bleus can progress. If Romania lose and the others play out a score draw, Italy would go through in a three-way head-to-head tie on two points as they would have scored more goals in the games involving France and Romania.

If Romania fall by one goal, two goals or by a three-goal margin other than 3-0 and the other match finishes 0-0, Romania would advance as their head-to-head record with Italy would be dead level but they would have a superior overall goal difference (or in the case of the three-goal defeats, goals scored). If Romania lose by four goals or more and the other game ends 0-0, Italy would proceed with a better overall goal difference than Romania. If Romania lose 3-0 and the other match finishes 0-0, Italy and Romania would have to be split on qualifying coefficients, in which case Italy would prevail 2.364-2.250.

Group D (Wednesday)
Greece (0, out) v Spain (6, winners), Russia (3) v Sweden (3)
Spain completed a quartet of group winners with their last-gasp 2-1 defeat of Sweden and Russia’s 1-0 victory against holders Greece, who are now eliminated. Therefore all the focus is now on Sweden’s meeting with Russia in Innsbruck. Sweden are ahead on goal difference, so they require only a draw to set up a second consecutive UEFA European Championship last-eight encounter with the Netherlands in Basel on 21 June; Russia must win to go through. Whatever the result of Spain’s Salzburg encounter with Greece, they will travel to Vienna on 22 June to take on the Group C runners-up.

When Ruud van Nistelrooy stays on his feet in the area after a rash challenge and 80,000 fans flock to a city with little trouble it is fair to say behaviour has been good on and off the pitch in Euro 2008’s first week.

True, 157 mainly German fans were detained when their team played Poland but, while there was some chanting of Nazi slogans at Klagenfurt, there was precious little actual violence.

“If we are talking about respect and players’ behaviour, the (UEFA) president (Michel Platini) is very pleased with what he has seen,” William Gaillard, spokesman for European soccer’s governing body said on Wednesday.

“And we can only praise the fans who are behaving in a fantastic way in this tournament. It probably helps that the players are behaving so well. No red cards, very few yellow cards and we rejoice in that.”

The first eight games produced 24 yellows, an average of three per game, with Spain versus Russia not featuring a single booking.

There have been few really bad tackles and most of the cautions have been for mistimed, rather than malicious, contact while diving and exaggerating injury has mercifully been relatively thin on the ground.

True, the players of Portugal and Turkey began their game with a sideshow competition of who can roll farthest after a foul but even they settled down and get on with the football.

Van Nistelrooy stayed on his feet by riding a penalty area challenge in the early stages of the game against Italy, when he could easily have gone down, and then lost possession.

Footballing karma came into play when the big striker scored the opening goal in a 3-0 win that at first glance looked offside, but was given because Christian Panucci played him onside even though the Italian was off the pitch at the time.

In years gone by the ensuing Azzurri uproar would have been heard right across Europe but this time there were only muted complaints from the Italians who had been totally outplayed.

The general spirit among the players seems civilised, with the ball being returned after treatment for injuries, genuine-looking handshakes and even substitutes from opposing teams warming up together without managing to fall out.

Off the pitch the Germany versus Poland game was an aberration. Vast numbers of fans have descended on the host countries, drunk them dry and staggered home with a cheery wave from the underemployed security forces.

Even national anthems are not being booed too much, though the absence of England’s supporters has helped in that regard.

The fan zones, one of the best developments at major tournaments in recent years, have again been hugely popular as thousands have flocked to watch the games on big screens.

“It’s amazing we can gather hundreds of thousands of people together in the major cities of Switzerland and Austria and have absolutely no disturbance to public order,” said Gaillard.

After their team’s defeat against Spain, Russian football fans have moved on to Salzburg ahead of their match against Greece, and they seem to have taken quite nicely to their new surroundings.

With their move to a new city comes renewed hope and a chance to put their disappointment in Innsbruck behind them.
Moreover, for Russian fans their trip to Austria is not only about the football.
It’s an opportunity to go sightseeing and shopping and to eat out in restaurants.
With four days between games, there are plenty of chances to relax and take in their surroundings.
There are, of course, still some who are anxious about Russia’s chances on the pitch, but for them help is at hand as Russia’s Football Union has set up a home from home in the form of Salzburg’s Russia House.
“It was a very good idea to set up the Russia House here in Salzburg. Although far from home, Russian fans can feel at home here. The idea is just great,” said one Russian fan.
All of this, however, is just a distraction from the real reason for the fans being there. Every evening Austrian city centres are transformed into shrines to the football. The next chance for Russia’s fans to pay homage will be the crunch match against Greece on Saturday.