No Euro surprises according to Ronaldo

29 May 2012 19:17

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo played down hopes of his side lifting the European Championship title on July 1 on Tuesday saying he just hoped they could reach the knockout stages.

The 27-year-old - fresh from lifting the La Liga title with Real Madrid - couldn't really see too many surprises on the horizon at Euro where his side faces a tough battle to progress from their group.

The Portuguese - who reached the final in 2004 when they hosted it and the quarter-finals last time out - have been drawn with three former champions in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.

"I don't think that in this Euro there will be a lot of surprises," said Ronaldo, who has often been criticised for not repeating his club form for his country.

"Spain are really strong and behind them there are difficult sides to play.

"We realise we are in a difficult group, the group of death, and our priority first of all is to get through the first phase.

"We have fallen among Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, who beat us in the qualifying group (leaving Portugal to come through the play-offs), but I have a reasonable hope that we will qualify from the group.

"We are not favourites, and so much the better for that."

They start their campaign proper in Group B against Euro 2008 finalists Germany on June 9 in Lviv, Ukraine, followed by 1992 champions Denmark on June 13, also in Lviv, and round it off against 1988 champions Holland on June 17 in Kharkiv.

Source: AFP