Tuesday, June 26
By Nick Ames in Kiev
As Germany and Italy prepare to face one another in Euro 2012’s last four on Thursday, one Gunner past, one present and one future will not want to dwell too much upon the events of a night in Dortmund six years ago.
On July 4, 2006, Jens Lehmann, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski all went the distance as, after a pulsating 120 minutes, Germany lost 2-0 to late Italian goals in a World Cup semi-final that remains etched in the country’s memory.
That night, a thrilling game went right to the wire as brilliant finishes from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero shattered the dreams of a vibrant German team for which Podolski had been on target three times during the tournament.
Italy’s side that night was packed with experience, Germany’s very much a work in progress. This year, while not quite the reverse, the situation feels different. Lukas has reached the 100-cap mark while Per, if called upon, has 81 appearances to his name.
The likes of Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger are still very much about, while players such as Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira have racked up a vast amount of international experience over the last three years.This side feels like one reaching its peak, the perfect blend of experience and potential, while this may be a tournament too soon for Italy.
We’ll find out in two days’ time. I’ve woken up, for the first time this summer, to a drab and rainy morning in Kiev - and one that holds little prospect of much football ahead. This lunchtime, though, I’m due to be meeting with representatives of local side Arsenal Kiev, who finished fifth in the Ukrainian top flight last season to qualify for the Europa League.
I’m putting a feature together about Ukraine’s different ‘Arsenal’ clubs and should be heading south on Friday to see second division side Arsenal Bila Tserkva put through their pre-season paces, too. Euro 2012 may be on the backburner for a few days, but there’s Arsenal interest of varying kinds in this fascinating country, whose national league has come on in leaps and bounds of late.
One thing is for sure, the Gunners have a decent fanbase out here. Yesterday, I met up with a local football commentator who arrived at our appointment proudly sporting an Arsenal polo shirt that a friend had bought for him in London. He commentates on the Club’s Champions League games from a studio here in Kiev, and barely misses a top-flight game on television. He assures me that many of his friends are of the same persuasion, and spent time telling me how a couple of Ukrainian players - notably Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka - could thrive in a Gunners shirt.
That’s all for the future. Now, it’s out into the rain and an encounter with another Arsenal.
EURO 2012 BLOG ARCHIVE:
- Over to you, Lukas and Per
- A long night in Kiev?
- Low keeps expectations high
- Off with their beards
- Czeching in to Warsaw
- And then there were six
- D-day for England and France
- Per proved right on Podolski
- Czechs keep their composure
- Electric Walcott makes his mark
- Kiev gets ready for England
- Dejected Dutch on the brink
- A decisive day for the Dutch
- Beaming Ox makes his mark
- Sun, streams and slagheaps
- Diligent Danes reap reward
- The Dutch and the Danes
- Running the rule over Robin
- From Gatwick to Kharkiv
