Euro 2012 Schedule: Players to Watch in Wednesday's Semifinal

Euro 2012 is down to four possible champions. Portugal, Spain, Germany and Italy have all proven themselves through group play and with a quarterfinal victory.

Let's take a look at the semifinal schedule (per espn.com).

Game	Date and Time	Station
Portugal vs. Spain	Wednesday, June 27, 2:45 p.m. EST	ESPN ESPN3.com
Germany vs. Italy	Thursday, June 28, 2:45 p.m. EST	ESPN ESPN3.com

Both semifinal matchups will be tightly-contested clashes. All four teams are strong sides on both ends of the field.

For now, let's focus on Wednesday's semifinal. This tilt will feature arguably the world's best attacker and several quality support players.

Let's take a look at a few players to watch in Wednesday's game.

Alvaro Arbeloa

Arbeloa bears the heaviest burden in this game. He will man Spain's right-back and be responsible for Cristiano Ronaldo's whereabouts. That's not an enviable task given Ronaldo's sterling reputation and three Euro goals this far.

Familiarity could play in Arbeloa's favor. He and Ronaldo are club teammates with Real Madrid. This will give him a better idea of Ronaldo's tendencies and give him a better chance to slow him down.

The Spanish defender is a fine player in his own right but he isn't an icon like CR7. Defending him in the open field is a tall task, but Arbeloa must try.

His defense will go a long way toward determining the final score of this game.

Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso's two-goal performance against France paced Spain's attack. He is very skilled in the central midfield and he is extremely confident.

Spain needs him to set the tone for their attack. Portugal's defense has been better than expected, and they will struggle to pierce their ranks right away.

Alonso and Xavi must probe their central backs and put stress on the defense. They are both creative players and this shouldn't be a problem.

This game is going to be low scoring in all likelihood. A repeat of Alonso's quarterfinal performance would be the deciding factor.

Nani

Nani is one of Portugal's best supporting players. He has been very consistent on the right wing, and that must continue into the semifinals.

Ronaldo draws much of the attention on the left side. Nani has more than enough skill to take advantage of any oversight by Spain's defense. Jordi Alba is not a lights-out left-back for Spain, and Nani will hold the advantage.

Portugal's supporting cast has done what they've needed to do so far in this tournament, but Spain will be their biggest challenge yet.

Don't be surprised of the Spanish defense forces anyone but Ronaldo to win this match. Nani could make that happen if they don't respect his game.

Miguel Veloso

Veloso is the first line of defense against Spain's technically sound midfield. The Portuguese central defensive midfielder needs to control the tempo and minimize mistakes.

He's worked very hard so far in this tournament. Alonso and Xavi will test his endurance and his skills. Both are a handful offensively, and Portugal needs them to be handled if they want to win.

Veloso's form will have a major bearing on Portugal's defense. He can alleviate some stress if he steps to the ball and reacts when he's supposed too. Supporting his defense will be vital to his team's hopes of victory on Wednesday.

All of these players will play pivotal roles in their team's Euro futures. Their production will make or break title dreams.