So... anyone know... ?

1. Why UEFA had the route to the final set in advance (group X winner meets 3YZ)??? Why shouldn't it be random?... (Not completly random, with regards to who won, came 2nd, 3rd and all that, of course)
2. How come all the actual contenders to the title are in the same branch? (Spain, Germany, Italy, France...).
   OK, Belgium and England could steal it but those four I mentioned are the "contenders", and they will meet before the final. WHY?????

Fkin UEFA Maannnn...

If you're going to win the euro/copa/world cup, doesn't matter who you face or when you face them. If your the champ, you're gunna have to beat any team.

1. Because they don't want teams which met in group stage to meet again before semi finals.
2. Spain finished 2nd, England finished 2nd, if they won, they wouldn't be there.

Oh right!! It would make it much more balanced if they finished 1st.
Well... Now any way you look at it, there will be atleast one team making a historic appearance in the finals. Except Belgium who were runners up in 1980...

@Thelamb What about Portugal? Didn't they reached the final in 2004?

Big chance of Wales, Hungary or Croatia making the finals. Or Portugal if Ronaldo does his thing.

Should have put 32 teams in the first place and 2 to go through from groups. Pathetic to see Portugal go through with ZERO wins.

You can also see it as 0 loss. I was actually annoyed by the new rules and the 3rd qualifying place, but i actually find it positive now as it makes all games important even for those who failed in the first game. You only get rid of the weakest team of the group and this limitates the luck in draws, group of death are no longer crucial to advance if you manage to get 4 pts you advance. Not that bad after all.

Actually, I find this is bringing more luck into draws.. Slovakia finished as a best 3rd team and got worst draw for example..

Yeah I don't think 3rd team draw is all that bad . Sometimes team can be in group of death and truly is a good team deserving to compete further and that rule will allow team to go on if enough points collected . Or some teams may start awfully in group stages and redeem themselves in knockout .

Everyone remembers how sh8tty Spain started 2010 World Cup but then went on to win it all ?
( honestly , never accepted them as winners )

@Emobot7 Oh right forgot about them... Well it really looks like they don't have what it takes to reach the Final, but more surprising things have happened... maybe Portugal can do to France what Greece did to them... Play like shit and win :D