# UEFA Euro 2008 knockout stage

The knockout stage of UEFA Euro 2008 began with the quarter-finals on 19 June 2008, and was completed on 29 June 2008 with the final at Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna.
All times Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)

## Format

The knockout stage was different from that of past tournaments. Teams in groups A and B were separated from teams in groups C and D until the final. This meant that teams from the same group who advanced past the quarterfinals would play each other again in the semifinals instead of the final. The reason for the format change this year was to equalise the rest periods during the knockout stage. Also, in another major change, for the first time in a European Championship, only two venues (St. Jakob-Park, Basel and Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna) were used for the seven matches in the knockout stage of the tournament. As with every tournament since UEFA Euro 1984, there was no third place play-off.
Another new rule forgave all single yellow cards received up to and including the quarter-finals. However, players that were booked both in group tournament and quarter-finals missed semi-finals through suspension, but could play in the final. It was thus not possible to be suspended for the final without a red card.

## Qualified teams

The top two placed teams from each of the four groups qualified for the knockout stage.
| Group | Winners | Runners-up |
| A | Portugal | Turkey |
| B | Croatia | Germany |
| C | Netherlands | Italy |
| D | Spain | Russia |

## Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 19 June – Basel | 19 June – Basel | | | |
| Portugal | 2 | | | |
| Portugal | 2 | 25 June – Basel | 25 June – Basel | | |
| Germany | 3 | 25 June – Basel | 25 June – Basel | |
| Germany | 3 | Germany | 3 | |
| 20 June – Vienna | 20 June – Vienna | | Germany | 3 | |
| 20 June – Vienna | 20 June – Vienna | Turkey | 2 | |
| Croatia | 1 (1) | Turkey | 2 | |
| Croatia | 1 (1) | | | | 29 June – Vienna | 29 June – Vienna |
| Turkey (p) | 1 (3) | | | | 29 June – Vienna | 29 June – Vienna |
| Turkey (p) | 1 (3) | | | | Germany | 0 |
| 21 June – Basel | 21 June – Basel | | | | | Germany | 0 |
| 21 June – Basel | 21 June – Basel | | | | Spain | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1 | | | | Spain | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 26 June – Vienna | 26 June – Vienna | | | |
| Russia (a.e.t.) | 3 | 26 June – Vienna | 26 June – Vienna | | | |
| Russia (a.e.t.) | 3 | Russia | 0 | | | |
| 22 June – Vienna | 22 June – Vienna | | Russia | 0 | | | |
| 22 June – Vienna | 22 June – Vienna | Spain | 3 | |
| Spain (p) | 0 (4) | Spain | 3 | |
| Italy | 0 (2) | | | |

## Quarter-finals

The first quarter-final saw Group A winners Portugal take on Germany, who finished as runners-up of Group B. Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the opener half-way through the first half, before Miroslav Klose doubled their lead four minutes later. Portugal pulled one back five minutes before half-time, but Germany restored their two-goal lead on the hour mark. Portugal now needed two goals to take the game to extra time; Hélder Postiga pulled one back, but Germany were able to hang on to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time since 1996.
The second quarter-final was between Croatia and Turkey, and was a less high scoring affair. No goals were scored in normal time, and it took 29 minutes of extra time before Ivan Klasnić put Croatia into the lead. However, two minutes into injury time at the end of extra time Turkey was awarded a free kick. Controversially referee Roberto Rosetti did not allow the Croatian coach to put on a substitute, after Turkey was awarded the free kick, which would have allowed for the Croatian defence to better settle. A long free kick from Turkey goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber found Semih Şentürk on the edge of the area; the striker turned and hit a shot into the top corner of the net to take the game to a penalty shootout. Croatia went first, but only managed to score one of their four penalties, while Turkey scored all three of theirs to win 3–1.
The Group C winners, the Netherlands, who had won all three of their group games, took on Group D runners-up Russia in quarter-final 3. The Netherlands' players wore black armbands in sympathy for the death of Anissa, Khalid Boulahrouz's premature baby daughter. Russia took the lead through Roman Pavlyuchenko just before the hour mark. Ruud van Nistelrooy equalised in the 86th minute. In the 90th minute, Ľuboš Micheľ sent Russian defender Denis Kolodin off for a second booking, but reversed his decision afterwards. The reversal was based on a linesman's (mistaken) observation that the ball was out of play before the tackle. Eugen Strigel, head of the German referee committee, later judged the reversal against regulations as based on a mistaken premise. The Russians played on with 11 players and with two quick-fire goals in the last eight minutes of extra time from Dmitri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin secured a remarkable win.
The final quarter-final pitted Spain against Italy. In 120 minutes of football, neither team managed to produce a goal, sending the game to penalties. Spain went first and scored three of their first four penalties, Gianluigi Buffon saving the other from Dani Güiza, while Iker Casillas saved two of Italy's four penalties. This left Cesc Fàbregas having to score to send Spain through. He converted, meaning that Spain had won their first competitive match against Italy since the 1920 Summer Olympics and that Spain had qualified for the semi-finals for the first time since 1984.

### Portugal vs Germany

| Portugal | Germany |
| GK | 1 | Ricardo |
| RB | 4 | José Bosingwa |
| CB | 15 | Pepe | 60' |
| CB | 16 | Ricardo Carvalho |
| LB | 2 | Paulo Ferreira |
| CM | 8 | Petit | 26' | 73' |
| CM | 10 | João Moutinho | | 31' |
| RW | 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| AM | 20 | Deco |
| LW | 11 | Simão |
| CF | 21 | Nuno Gomes (c) | | 67' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 6 | Raul Meireles | | 31' |
| MF | 19 | Nani | | 67' |
| FW | 23 | Hélder Postiga | 90' | 73' |
| Manager: ||
| Luiz Felipe Scolari ||
| GK | 1 | Jens Lehmann |
| RB | 3 | Arne Friedrich | 48' |
| CB | 17 | Per Mertesacker |
| CB | 21 | Christoph Metzelder |
| LB | 16 | Philipp Lahm | 49' |
| CM | 6 | Simon Rolfes |
| CM | 13 | Michael Ballack (c) |
| RW | 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger | | 83' |
| LW | 15 | Thomas Hitzlsperger | | 73' |
| CF | 11 | Miroslav Klose | | 89' |
| CF | 20 | Lukas Podolski |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 18 | Tim Borowski | | 73' |
| DF | 4 | Clemens Fritz | | 83' |
| DF | 2 | Marcell Jansen | | 89' |
| Manager: ||
| Hansi Flick ||
* Man of the Match:
* Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
* Assistant referees:
* Stefan Wittberg (Sweden)
* Henrik Andrén (Sweden)
* Fourth official:
* Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Dimitrios Bozatzidis (Greece)

### Croatia vs Turkey

| Croatia | Turkey |
| GK | 1 | Stipe Pletikosa |
| RB | 5 | Vedran Ćorluka |
| CB | 4 | Robert Kovač |
| CB | 3 | Josip Šimunić |
| LB | 22 | Danijel Pranjić |
| CM | 14 | Luka Modrić |
| CM | 10 | Niko Kovač (c) |
| RW | 11 | Darijo Srna |
| LW | 7 | Ivan Rakitić |
| SS | 19 | Niko Kranjčar | 65' |
| CF | 18 | Ivica Olić | 97' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 21 | Mladen Petrić | 65' |
| FW | 17 | Ivan Klasnić | 97' |
| Manager: ||
| Slaven Bilić ||
| GK | 1 | Rüştü Reçber |
| RB | 22 | Hamit Altıntop |
| CB | 4 | Gökhan Zan |
| CB | 15 | Emre Aşık | 107' |
| LB | 3 | Hakan Balta |
| DM | 6 | Mehmet Topal | | 76' |
| RM | 20 | Sabri Sarıoğlu |
| CM | 17 | Tuncay Şanlı | 27' |
| LM | 14 | Arda Turan | 49' |
| CF | 18 | Colin Kazim-Richards | | 61' |
| CF | 8 | Nihat Kahveci (c) | | 117' |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 16 | Uğur Boral | 89' | 61' |
| FW | 9 | Semih Şentürk | | 76' |
| MF | 10 | Gökdeniz Karadeniz | | 117' |
| Manager: ||
| Fatih Terim ||
* Man of the Match:
* Hamit Altıntop (Turkey)
* Assistant referees:
* Alessandro Griselli (Italy)
* Paolo Calcagno (Italy)
* Fourth official:
* Manuel Mejuto González (Spain)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Juan Carlos Yuste Jiménez (Spain)

### Netherlands vs Russia

| Netherlands | Russia |
| GK | 1 | Edwin van der Sar (c) |
| RB | 21 | Khalid Boulahrouz | 50' | 54' |
| CB | 2 | André Ooijer |
| CB | 4 | Joris Mathijsen |
| LB | 5 | Giovanni van Bronckhorst |
| CM | 17 | Nigel de Jong |
| CM | 8 | Orlando Engelaar | | 62' |
| RW | 18 | Dirk Kuyt | | 46' |
| AM | 23 | Rafael van der Vaart | 60' |
| LW | 10 | Wesley Sneijder |
| CF | 9 | Ruud van Nistelrooy |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 7 | Robin van Persie | 55' | 46' |
| DF | 3 | John Heitinga | | 54' |
| MF | 20 | Ibrahim Afellay | | 62' |
| Manager: ||
| Marco van Basten ||
| GK | 1 | Igor Akinfeev |
| RB | 22 | Aleksandr Anyukov |
| CB | 4 | Sergei Ignashevich |
| CB | 8 | Denis Kolodin | 71' |
| LB | 18 | Yuri Zhirkov | 103' |
| DM | 11 | Sergei Semak (c) |
| RM | 17 | Konstantin Zyryanov |
| CM | 20 | Igor Semshov | | 69' |
| LM | 9 | Ivan Saenko | | 81' |
| SS | 10 | Andrei Arshavin |
| CF | 19 | Roman Pavlyuchenko | | 115' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 15 | Diniyar Bilyaletdinov | | 69' |
| MF | 7 | Dmitri Torbinski | 111' | 81' |
| FW | 21 | Dmitri Sychev | | 115' |
| Manager: ||
| Guus Hiddink ||
* Man of the Match:
* Andrei Arshavin (Russia)
* Assistant referees:
* Roman Slyško (Slovakia)
* Martin Balko (Slovakia)
* Fourth official:
* Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Matthias Arnet (Switzerland)

### Spain vs Italy

| Spain | Italy |
| GK | 1 | Iker Casillas (c) |
| RB | 15 | Sergio Ramos |
| CB | 4 | Carlos Marchena |
| CB | 5 | Carles Puyol |
| LB | 11 | Joan Capdevila |
| RM | 6 | Andrés Iniesta | 11' | 59' |
| CM | 19 | Marcos Senna |
| CM | 8 | Xavi | | 60' |
| LM | 21 | David Silva |
| CF | 7 | David Villa | 72' |
| CF | 9 | Fernando Torres | | 85' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 12 | Santi Cazorla | 113' | 59' |
| MF | 10 | Cesc Fàbregas | | 60' |
| FW | 17 | Dani Güiza | | 85' |
| Manager: ||
| Luis Aragonés ||
| GK | 1 | Gianluigi Buffon (c) |
| RB | 19 | Gianluca Zambrotta |
| CB | 2 | Christian Panucci |
| CB | 4 | Giorgio Chiellini |
| LB | 3 | Fabio Grosso |
| RM | 22 | Alberto Aquilani | | 108' |
| CM | 10 | Daniele De Rossi |
| LM | 13 | Massimo Ambrosini | 31' |
| AM | 20 | Simone Perrotta | | 58' |
| CF | 9 | Luca Toni |
| CF | 18 | Antonio Cassano | | 75' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 16 | Mauro Camoranesi | | 58' |
| FW | 11 | Antonio Di Natale | | 75' |
| FW | 7 | Alessandro Del Piero | | 108' |
| Manager: ||
| Roberto Donadoni ||
* Man of the Match:
* Iker Casillas (Spain)
* Assistant referees:
* Carsten Kadach (Germany)
* Volker Wezel (Germany)
* Fourth official:
* Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Peter Hermans (Belgium)

## Semi-finals

The first semi-final saw Group B runner-up and three-time champions Germany face Group A runner-up and first time semi-finalists Turkey. Turkey scored first as Uğur Boral converted a rebound from the crossbar. Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised for Germany four minutes later. In the 79th minute, Miroslav Klose headed Germany into the lead with his second goal of the tournament. Turkey managed to get back seven minutes later when Semih Şentürk flicked the ball past Jens Lehmann. The match was headed for extra time when defender Philipp Lahm in the 90th minute scored the final goal and sent Germany into their sixth European Championship final. The TV broadcast of the match experienced technical difficulties caused by severe thunderstorms in Vienna, Austria, from where the television broadcast was transmitted. Television pictures in several countries were interrupted on three occasions, including at the time of Klose and Semih's goals. The entire match was recorded and distributed to all countries.
The second semi-final was a replay of the opening match of Group D, Spain in their first semi-final since 1984 faced Russia who had not been in a semi-final since 1988 as the Soviet Union. The first half was scoreless, but five minutes into the second, Xavi opened the scoring. Dani Güiza replaced Fernando Torres in the 69th minute and scored the second goal for Spain in four minutes. David Silva rounded up the scoring with Spain's third of the night, sending Spain into their third European Championship final.

### Germany vs Turkey

| Germany | Turkey |
| GK | 1 | Jens Lehmann |
| RB | 3 | Arne Friedrich |
| CB | 17 | Per Mertesacker |
| CB | 21 | Christoph Metzelder |
| LB | 16 | Philipp Lahm |
| CM | 15 | Thomas Hitzlsperger |
| CM | 6 | Simon Rolfes | 46' |
| RW | 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger |
| AM | 13 | Michael Ballack (c) |
| LW | 20 | Lukas Podolski |
| CF | 11 | Miroslav Klose | 90+2' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 8 | Torsten Frings | 46' |
| DF | 2 | Marcell Jansen | 90+2' |
| Manager: ||
| Joachim Löw ||
| GK | 1 | Rüştü Reçber (c) |
| RB | 20 | Sabri Sarıoğlu | 90+4' |
| CB | 6 | Mehmet Topal |
| CB | 4 | Gökhan Zan |
| LB | 3 | Hakan Balta |
| DM | 7 | Mehmet Aurélio |
| RM | 18 | Colin Kazim-Richards | | 90+2' |
| CM | 22 | Hamit Altıntop |
| CM | 19 | Ayhan Akman | | 81' |
| LM | 16 | Uğur Boral | | 84' |
| CF | 9 | Semih Şentürk | 53' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 21 | Mevlüt Erdinç | | 81' |
| MF | 10 | Gökdeniz Karadeniz | | 84' |
| MF | 11 | Tümer Metin | | 90+2' |
| Manager: ||
| Fatih Terim ||
* Man of the Match:
* Philipp Lahm (Germany)
* Assistant referees:
* Matthias Arnet (Switzerland)
* Stéphane Cuhat (Switzerland)
* Fourth official:
* Peter Fröjdfeldt (Sweden)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Henrik Andrén (Sweden)

### Russia vs Spain

| Russia | Spain |
| GK | 1 | Igor Akinfeev |
| RB | 22 | Aleksandr Anyukov |
| CB | 2 | Vasili Berezutski |
| CB | 4 | Sergei Ignashevich |
| LB | 18 | Yuri Zhirkov | 56' |
| DM | 11 | Sergei Semak (c) |
| RM | 17 | Konstantin Zyryanov |
| CM | 20 | Igor Semshov | | 56' |
| LM | 9 | Ivan Saenko | | 57' |
| SS | 10 | Andrei Arshavin |
| CF | 19 | Roman Pavlyuchenko |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 15 | Diniyar Bilyaletdinov | 60' | 56' |
| FW | 21 | Dmitri Sychev | | 57' |
| Manager: ||
| Guus Hiddink ||
| GK | 1 | Iker Casillas (c) |
| RB | 15 | Sergio Ramos |
| CB | 4 | Carlos Marchena |
| CB | 5 | Carles Puyol |
| LB | 11 | Joan Capdevila |
| RM | 6 | Andrés Iniesta |
| CM | 19 | Marcos Senna |
| CM | 8 | Xavi | 69' |
| LM | 21 | David Silva |
| CF | 7 | David Villa | 34' |
| CF | 9 | Fernando Torres | 69' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 10 | Cesc Fàbregas | 34' |
| MF | 14 | Xabi Alonso | 69' |
| FW | 17 | Dani Güiza | 69' |
| Manager: ||
| Luis Aragonés ||
* Man of the Match:
* Andrés Iniesta (Spain)
* Assistant referees:
* Peter Hermans (Belgium)
* Alex Verstraeten (Belgium)
* Fourth official:
* Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Dimitrios Saraidaris (Greece)

## Final

The final match was played between Germany and Spain on 29 June 2008 at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria. Spain won the match 1–0, the winning goal scored by Fernando Torres.
| Germany | Spain |
| GK | 1 | Jens Lehmann |
| RB | 3 | Arne Friedrich |
| CB | 17 | Per Mertesacker |
| CB | 21 | Christoph Metzelder |
| LB | 16 | Philipp Lahm | | 46' |
| CM | 8 | Torsten Frings |
| CM | 15 | Thomas Hitzlsperger | | 58' |
| RW | 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger |
| AM | 13 | Michael Ballack (c) | 43' |
| LW | 20 | Lukas Podolski |
| CF | 11 | Miroslav Klose | | 79' |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 2 | Marcell Jansen | | 46' |
| FW | 22 | Kevin Kurányi | 88' | 58' |
| FW | 9 | Mario Gómez | | 79' |
| Manager: ||
| Joachim Löw ||
| GK | 1 | Iker Casillas (c) | 43' |
| RB | 15 | Sergio Ramos |
| CB | 4 | Carlos Marchena |
| CB | 5 | Carles Puyol |
| LB | 11 | Joan Capdevila |
| DM | 19 | Marcos Senna |
| RM | 6 | Andrés Iniesta |
| CM | 8 | Xavi |
| CM | 10 | Cesc Fàbregas | | 63' |
| LM | 21 | David Silva | | 66' |
| CF | 9 | Fernando Torres | 74' | 78' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 14 | Xabi Alonso | | 63' |
| MF | 12 | Santi Cazorla | | 66' |
| FW | 17 | Dani Güiza | | 78' |
| Manager: ||
| Luis Aragonés ||
* Man of the Match:
* Fernando Torres (Spain)
* Assistant referees:
* Alessandro Griselli (Italy)
* Paolo Calcagno (Italy)
* Fourth official:
* Peter Fröjdfeldt (Sweden)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Stefan Wittberg (Sweden)