Russia are placed in Group A and start their EURO 2012 campaign on 8 June against Czech Republic in Wroclaw before facing Poland and Greece in Warsaw.

Semi-finalists four years ago in Austria-Switzerland, Russia missed out on the 2010 World Cup under Guus Hiddink but Dick Advocaat led them to top spot in qualifying. Four years on from that sparkling campaign they have not progressed.

Russia Squad

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev (PFC CSKA Moskva), Vyacheslav Malafeev (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Anton Shunin (FC Dinamo Moskva).

Defenders: Aleksandr Anyukov (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Aleksei Berezutski (PFC CSKA Moskva), Sergei Ignashevich (PFC CSKA Moskva), Vladimir Granat (FC Dinamo Moskva), Yuri Zhirkov (FC Anzhi Makhachkala), Dmitri Kombarov (FC Spartak Moskva), Roman Sharonov (FC Rubin Kazan), Kirill Nababkin (PFC CSKA Moskva).

Midfielders: Igor Denisov (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Konstantin Zyryanov (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Denis Glushakov (FC Lokomotiv Moskva), Igor Semshov (FC Dinamo Moskva), Marat Izmailov (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Alan Dzagoev (PFC CSKA Moskva).

Forwards: Andrey Arshavin (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Aleksandr Kerzhakov (FC Zenit St Petersburg), Aleksandr Kokorin (FC Dinamo Moskva), Roman Pavlyuchenko (FC Lokomotiv Moskva), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham FC).

Coach: Dick Advocaat

Russia Preview

FIFA Ranking: 11

Euro Best: Semi-finals 2008

The coach will take over at PSV Eindhoven after Euro 2012 but has done a decent job as national coach having previously managed Zenit St Petersburg, making Russia tough to beat in a 4-3-3.

According to Castrol EDGE Performance research, Russia were one of the strongest defensive sides in the UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying campaign, with Dick Advocaat’s side conceding just four goals in the whole competition. On the road to Poland and Ukraine, only Italy conceded fewer goals

Key to this impressive defensive parsimony was the Russian’s ability to limit their opponents to shooting from long-range. Indeed, only 35% of the shots on target which the Russians faced in the UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying campaign came from inside the box, the second-lowest proportion (after Spain). Getting close to the Russian goal could prove difficult for the other sides in Group B this summer.

Goals Conceded & Shots Conceded – UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifiers

Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Russian full-back Alexander Anyukov provided the joint-highest number of assists of any defender in the UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifying campaign.

The Zenit St. Petersburg’s star’s haul of four assists was also the most by any Russian player on the road to Poland and Ukraine. Interestingly, Anyukov’s defensive team-mate Roman Shishkin was also eager to get forward and create, providing two assists, the joint-sixth highest total for a defender in the competition. Russia’s creativity from the back could prove key in their UEFA EURO 2012™ campaign in the summer.

Assists By Defenders – UEFA EURO 2012™ qualifiers

Also See:

Euro 2012 Fixtures

Euro 2012 Infographic

Russia Euro 2012 Shirts