FRIDAY SOCCER MUSINGS

14 teams down!! Europe's biggest sporting spectatle began some three weeks ago with sixteen teams. We are now left with probably the two most exciting and resillient teams in Germany and Spain. The Spaniards will be trying to shake off the tag of perenial underachievers by winning the title which will be their second trophy in any competition at the national level. The Germans have been there before but still have the hunger to go for their fourth EURO title.
The match on sunday will be a game between two constrasting teams - Spain with their flair and free flowing football and the Germans with their high workrate and power. The two teams both posses players that can change the course of any game if given the chance. I forsee a German win though in football nothing is sure until the whole ninety minutes or 120 minutes in the case of extra time.

There have been a lot of transfers of players going on the market while some have been concluded others are still been peddled on the pages of the newspapers. Here are just some of the transfer rumours for today:

Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho will reject a move to Manchester City as the 28-year-old wants to stay at Barcelona. (Daily Mirror)
There is some good news for City fans however as the club will clinch the £18m signing of Brazilian striker Jo from CSKA Moscow on Friday - free of third-party complications. (Daily Express)

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is ready to fight Liverpool to keep £12m England winger Stewart Downing. (Various)

Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant has revealed the Blues are tracking Russia midfielder Yuri Zhirkov. (Daily Star)
Midfielder Claude Makelele is staying at Chelsea after agreeing a one-year extension that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2010. (Daily Star)

Striker Kanu is refusing to sign a new one-year contract with Portsmouth as he insists they owe him a better deal. (The Sun)