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CHELSEA FC: KICK-OFF LOOMS FOR BLUES CONTINGENT

/noticias.info/ This weekend marks the opening of Euro 2008, and while there is no English involvement there is still a heavy Chelsea presence in Austria and Switzerland, with no fewer than eight Blues taking part.

Direct interest from Stamford Bridge stretches into three of the four groups, and Petr Cech's Czech Republic take part in the opening game of the tournament against Switzerland in Basel.

The other two teams in Group A are Austria and Portugal, who boast two current and one future Chelsea player in their 23-man squad.

Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira have both been regulars under Luis Felipe Scolari, and are expected to start in the centre and left of defence. José Bosingwa, who joins the club after the tournament, played an hour in the final warm-up game at right-back before being replaced by Valencia's Miguel.

Former Chelsea men Maniche and Tiago did not make the Portuguese squad, whose first game is against Turkey on Saturday evening.

They will come up against their goalkeeper team-mate on Wednesday, 11 June, in a match that is likely to decide who comes out on top of the group.

Should both Czech Republic and Portugal progress, one of the two sides are likely to meet Michael Ballack's Germany side in the quarter-final.

Germany are the top seeds in Group B, which also features Austria, Croatia and Poland.

The Chelsea midfielder, who captains his country, has been in impressive form during the run-up to Euro 2008, sealing their 2-1 victory over Serbia with a goal on Saturday.

The Germans begin their campaign on Sunday against Poland, before meeting Croatia on Thursday and Austria on Monday 16.

That final group game will be held at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, setting of one of the great Chelsea goals in recent times - John Spencer's remarkable solo effort in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1994, which guaranteed passage on the away goal rule against Austria Vienna.

Should Germany top the group they will meet the runner up of Group A.

Group C has been touted as the 'Group of Death', and it is almost impossible to predict which two sides will advance into the last eight.

Chelsea's representation comes from France, whose squad contains current Blues Claude Makelele, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka, in addition to William Gallas and Lassana Diarra, summer deadline day departures in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

The French must come through a mini-league containing Italy (who have ex-Chelsea man Christian Panucci still playing at the age of 35) and Holland, who have defender Khalid Boulahrouz in their number. He has spent the season on loan with Sevilla.

The Dutch can also count on two former Blues - Arjen Robben who scored against Wales at the weekend and is a La Liga champion with Real Madrid, and Mario Melchiot, whose performances for Wigan earned him a recall to the national squad.

The final nation in Group C is Romania, for whom Adrian Mutu leads the line. He has scored 33 goals in the last two seasons for Fiorentina.

France will meet Romania on Monday, Holland on Friday and Italy the following Tuesday.

The teams that eventually come through will meet the winners and runners-up in Group D, the only group that has no current Chelsea involvement.

Reigning European champions Greece are now the outsiders in the group, and will have to get the better of Russia, Spain and Sweden to reach the latter stages.

There was no room for former Chelsea man Alexei Smertin in Guus Hiddink's Russian 23, while Asier Del Horno, at Stamford Bridge between 2005 and 2006, also missed out on a spot in the Spanish squad.

The Spaniards, heavily backed in 2008, will meet Russia first on Tuesday, Sweden on Saturday and Greece the following Wednesday, which will conclude the group stages.

Knockout rounds begin on Thursday, 19 June, with one a day over four days. The semi-finals are played over the 25 and 26 June, while the Final will be on Sunday 29.

This leaves just one question - who will you support?

Online betting partner Paddy Power rates Ballack's Germany as 4/1 favourites to take the crown, with Portugal at 7/1 and France 8/1. Further out are Holland and Czech Republic at 14s and 18s respectively.

Click here to bet and earn a free £20 bet. notas_de_prensa_archivo