Group A looks like they really, really wanted to make sure that Poland passed the first round. As for Russia-Poland, I'm just glad it ended without any violence. They have a heavy undigested past between them.

Group B is crazy in the opposite way. They're all good teams - Portugal would have deserved a tie with Germany, and it's a pity only two from the four will go on. PS The latest Spiegel has an article allegedly about Ronaldo - who ends up being a comparison with Messi, very much in favor of Messi :). Too bad I couldn't find an English translation.

Group D I haven't seen any matches of, but it also seems a weak one - neither France nor England have done well recently. Still, they could recover and both make it to the quarter finals.

I now saw Italy-Spain, and it was a great game. We could have lost, we could have won: the tie was probably a honest result. Most importantly, there's hope for us. Balotelli drives me crazy, alternating great skills with almost childish stupidity - he now already has a yellow card, which he deserved. Di Natale did a great job, as did Cassano, but the best was clearly Buffon.

On the sad side: an Italian journalist declared having had sex in the past with one of the National team. Cassano was asked for a comment and had been warned that such a question would come up: he answered "I hope there are no froci in the team, but if there are any, it's their problem." Frocio (singular) is an extremely insulting slang word for male homosexual.

I cannot imagine how gay football players (and young men wanting to become such) in Italy must feel now.