Euro 2012: 7 Biggest Storylines with 7 Days to Go

Euro 2012 is almost upon us. The action proper gets under way a week from today, and excitement levels are mounting by the hour.

As we build towards the first round of group matches, there is much to report. The 16 nations have been involved in friendly warm-up games, and we've been given a hint of what's to come.

Here are the seven biggest storylines to watch with seven days to go.

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7. M'Vila's Injury

France midfielder Yann M'Vila left the field in tears last night after picking up an ankle injury in their 2-0 friendly victory against Serbia.

The 21-year-old Rennes star clearly feared for his participation in Euro 2012, but he emerged in a more positive mood later on.

Here's what M'Vila told L'Equipe after the match (translation as per FIFA.com):

"

I cracked up. A lot of things went through my mind. When I was 13, I experienced the same thing and I was in plaster for two months. I thought of that straight away, that the EURO was over for me.

We will let things run their course, and hopefully I'll be ready for June 11, God willing. I'm able to put my foot down on the floor, but I still have to walk with crutches, just in case. There is time to heal before the Euro.

"

Laurent Blanc's France team begin their Group D campaign against England. 

Goals from Florent Malouda and Franck Ribery saw off Serbia on Thursday night, taking the French unbeaten run to 20 matches.

6. England Lose Lampard

Staying in Group D, England have been forced to replace Frank Lampard with Liverpool's Jordan Henderson after Lampard suffered a thigh injury in their 1-0 friendly win against Norway.

Lampard was hugely influential in Chelsea's run to Champions League triumph this season, and the 33-year-old's absence represents a major setback for England manager Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson has already lost Gareth Barry to injury, while Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is a long-term absentee.

In Lampard's place comes the 21-year-old Henderson, who is far less proven and has yet to live up to the substantial fee Liverpool paid Sunderland for him last summer.

Manchester United's Michael Carrick was seemingly not an option, having told the FA he didn't want to be involved as any other than a first-choice player. More on that here from The Telegraph.

5. Torres on Target

With David Villa ruled out, the big question for Spain manager Vicente del Bosque is who to play in attack for the defending champions and World Cup winners.

Could it be Chelsea's Fernando Torres?

It's certainly not out of the question, especially after El Niño scored his first international goal since June 2011 in Spain's 4-1 friendly victory against South Korea.

Fernando Llorente remains the favorite to take the role, but Torres has another chance to prove a point against China on June 3.

4. Match-Fixing Scandal Overshadows Italy

Italy tend to do well to a backdrop of scandal. They won the 1982 and 2006 World Cups with the spectre of corruption hanging over their domestic game, and they seem unlikely to be fazed by the latest match-fixing revelations coming out of Serie A.

That said, we can't rule it out as a distraction—especially if it turns out players and coaches involved with the Italy national team at Euro 2012 are implicated during the tournament.

Defender Domenico Criscito pulled out of the Italy squad before the announcement of their final 23—after it was announced he was being investigated.

According to reports, Italian police raided his room at Italy's Euro 2012 training camp.

3. Dutch Back to Winning Ways

The Netherlands are considered by many among the favorites to win Euro 2012, but a 2-1 defeat to Bulgaria at the weekend, combined with patchy form of late, seems to undermine the argument somewhat.

Robin van Persie opened the scoring in Bulgaria, but the hosts equalised from the penalty spot and produced a late winner to shock the 2010 World Cup runners-up.

The Dutch responded with a 2-0 friendly victory against Slovenia, with Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart coming off the bench to score.

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk tried two different approaches with his attack in the two games. In the first, he started both Van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. In the second, Huntelaar was dropped to the bench.

Here's how Van Marwijk responded to criticism of his team, as per Radio Netherlands Worldwide:

"

That’s football for you, and it’s part of the job. I’m well aware that there are 16 million football experts in this country. But sometimes, I do get irritated: please let me do my job, which is to get the team prepared for the first group match against Denmark.

"

2. Portugal Shooting Blanks

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal join the Netherlands in the "group of death" at Euro 2012—along with Germany and Denmark.

Paulo Bento's team face a stiff task to make it through, and there wasn't much encouragement to be found in their 0-0 friendly draw with Macedonia.

It was the second game in a row the Portuguese had failed to score, and according to the SI.com report, they "lacked fire and flair."

They'll need to come upon both to reach the quarterfinals. Another chance awaits in their friendly against Turkey on Saturday.

1. Balotelli Makes Stance Against Racism

Racism has been a big talking point heading into Euro 2012.

A Panorama documentary highlighted racism at football stadiums in both Ukraine and Poland, and it included a frightening warning from former England international Sol Campbell.

Campbell told England fans, as per Metro.co.uk, to "stay at home, watch it on TV, don’t even risk it—because you could end up coming back in a coffin."

Italy striker Mario Balotelli has also made his feelings clear on the issue.

"I will not accept racism at all," Balotelli told The Guardian. "It's unacceptable. If someone throws a banana at me in the street, I will go to jail, because I will kill them."

Italy's coach Cesare Prandelli told the The Telegraph, "If there are racist boos directed at Balotelli, we would all leave the bench and walk on to the pitch. We would do something for Mario."