Euro 2012 Open Thread: Croatia v. Spain, Italy v. Republic of Ireland

Croatia v. Spain
Group C Round 3
Monday, June 18, 245 PM EDT
TV: ESPN, ESPN3, Deportes

Italy v. Republic of Ireland
Group C Round 3
Monday, June 18, 245 PM EDT
TV: ESPN2, ESPN3, Deportes

After yesterday's wackadoodle group, we have the relative calm of Group C; as long as Croatia and Spain don't draw 2-2, Italy joins Spain in the quarterfinals. Of course, it's not like anything like that would ever happen, nor would it be preordained that it happen, right? That would be wrong! WRONG!

Anyway, shenanigans aside, this is a day where the Irish can pick up their pride from wherever they kicked it to against Spain, dust it off, and give it another chance to exist. Lineups as they are made available, and always remember the important things in life: subject lines, being nice to people, reasonable picture heights, and a lack of illegal streams.

ITALY v IRELAND LINEUPS:

Italy 4-3-1-2: 1-Gianluigi Buffon; 7-Ignazio Abate, 15-Andrea Barzagli, 3-Giorgio Chiellini, 6-Federico Balzaretti; 8-Claudio Marchisio, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 16-Daniele De Rossi; 5-Thiago Motta; 11-Antonio Di Natale, 10-Antonio Cassano.
Ireland 4-4-2: 1-Shay Given; 4-John O'Shea, 2-Sean St. Ledger, 5-Richard Dunne, 3-Stephen Ward; 7-Aiden McGeady, 6-Glenn Whelan, 8-Keith Andrews, 11-Damien Duff; 10-Robbie Keane, 9-Kevin Doyle.

CROATIA v SPAIN LINEUPS:

Croatia (4-2-3-1) Pletikosa; Vida, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic; Vukojevic, Rakitic; Srna, Modric, Pranjic; Mandzukic.
The Spanish Art Project 2.0 (4-3-3) Casillas; Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Alonso; Silva, Torres, Iniesta.