IBRAHIMOVIC RELISHES REUNION
Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is looking forward to playing against his AFC Ajax team-mates Rafael van der Vaart, Johnny Heitinga and Wesley Sneijder on Saturday.
Sweden take on the Netherlands in the third UEFA EURO 2004™ quarter-final on Saturday and Ibrahimovic said that he had spoken to some of his Ajax team-mates after the Netherlands' 3-0 victory over Latvia on Tuesday night. "We've spoken a bit and we have joked about the game," the 22-year-old said. "But on Saturday we will put aside our friendship for a couple of hours."
"It is obviously special for me to play the Netherlands as I live and play there and I am really looking forward to it. The Netherlands have got to be the favourites with the players they have got and we are the underdogs. But everything can happen in football and you can be sure that we are going to be 100 per cent focused and we know that we can beat them if we play at our best level."
Erik Edman, who is suspended for the game, and Petter Hansson also play their club football in the Netherlands with SC Heerenveen while Henrik Larsson and Marcus Allbäck have had spells there as well. Larsson has a good friend in the rival camp in Giovanni van Bronckhorst. "I got to know [him] at Feyenoord in 1993 and our families are still good friends. But that won't matter on Saturday of course."
Larsson added that the Swedes were happy to be in the final eight – but far from satisfied. "We have set new targets now and we believe in ourselves and in our team spirit," he said. Their main problem ahead of the game on Saturday is in defence where Edman is out and right-back Teddy Lucic is only 50-50 because of a rib injury. Reserve goalkeeper Magnus Khilstedt, meanwhile, has a groin strain.
Sweden scout Benny Lennartsson has been following the Netherlands during the tournament so far and he said on Tuesday: "[Phillip] Cocu is very influential in their build-up and then the real danger is out on the flanks. If you look at a player like Arjen Robben you can't help but admire him. The pace and the precision in his crosses means that whoever plays at right-back will have to do very well."
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VAN NISTELROOIJ PRAISES SWEDEN
Ruud van Nistelrooij told euro2004.com that the Netherlands' quarter-final opponents, Sweden, are "playing the best football" at UEFA EURO 2004™.
Van Nistelrooij scored twice last night as the Dutch defeated Latvia 3-0 to finish behind the Czech Republic in Group D and establish a last-eight meeting with the Group C winners on Saturday. "Sweden are a great team and it will be a hard match," said the Manchester United FC forward. "They're playing the best football in the tournament so far and their strikers are in form and have scored a lot of goals. We have to make sure we control them."
The quarter-final will be played at Faro-Loulé, a short drive from Albufeira where the team and many of their fans are based. "It's a home match wherever we go in this country - there's orange everywhere!" Van Nistelrooij continued. "The support we get is tremendous and that certainly helped get us through the bad moments we had before."
The Netherlands would have been eliminated had Germany beaten the Czechs irrespective of their result against Latvia. A 2-1 loss for the Germans in Lisbon, however, was the cue for a huge party in Braga, UEFA EURO 2004™'s most northerly venue. The players flew back to the Algarve last night and had a recovery training session at midday. Hundreds of fans were in attendance, chanting "champions, champions".
Dick Advocaat looked relaxed for the first time in days, with his tactics in the defeat by the Czechs having been met with much consternation. "It's nice for the coach now," said Van Nistelrooij. "It hasn't been an enjoyable time for him. We know football is an emotional game - on the field and in the stands - but now we're going on into the quarter-finals it's a wonderful feeling."
Wilfred Bouma did not train today and is still receiving treatment for an achilles injury which kept him out of last night's game, Frank de Boer stepping in for his 111th appearance. "I came to this tournament to play and now I have," said De Boer, who was dropped after the 1-0 play-off first-leg loss to Scotland. "The result made it a fantastic return and I think I showed I am ready for it."
Van Nistelrooij's two goals in Braga moved him into the top ten all-time Dutch scorers' list - 18 goals in 36 matches - and to the top of the EURO 2004™ chart with four, alongside Wayne Rooney of England. "I'm happy that my goals are important," he said. "That's what it's all about to be a striker and I hope that continues into the next game."
The 27-year-old will again lead the line against Sweden, with Roy Makaay starting on the bench despite a goalscoring cameo against Latvia. "It was a good feeling personally but most importantly helped us into the quarter-finals," Makaay said. "Obviously I want to play every match but I know that Ruud is in good shape. It can only be good for the side that we keep each other sharp."
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