Four France players face disciplinary action

Four France players face disciplinary action for their behaviour at Euro 2012, the French Football Federation (FFF) has announced.

Samir Nasri insulted a reporter while Jeremy Menez did the same with captain Hugo Lloris.

Hatem Ben Arfa rowed with Laurent Blanc and Yann M'Vila did not shake the coach's hand when substituted.

FFF president Noel Le Graet said individual bonus money of £80,000 due to the entire squad had been "frozen".

"Hatem Ben Arfa, Yann M'Vila, Samir Nasri and Jeremy Menez are summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee," said Le Graet.

And he added: "I don't like to punish by nature and I don't like to deliver a hasty opinion, but our players should be punished or sanctioned.

"I don't want them thinking they are victims. They are not."

French disciplinary problems

In July 2010, the French Football Federation suspended all 23 World Cup squad members after a fractious campaign in South Africa.

Manchester City's Nasri insulted a reporter after the 2-0 quarter-final defeat to Spain while Menez was involved in a row with Lloris.

Newcastle's Ben Arfa was involved in a dressing-room argument with Blanc, 46, and M'Vila ignored the coach when he was replaced by Olivier Giroud in the game with Spain on 23 June.

Blanc has since has since left his job as manager of the French national team after his contract came to an end.

Like his predecessor Raymond Domenech, Blanc endured infighting between players which he admitted had been a distraction before their Euro 2012 quarter-final defeat against Spain.

Didier Deschamps, who has left his job as Marseille boss, is the early favourite to replace Blanc.

But the French Football Federation has revealed Deschamps has asked for time to think about taking over from Blanc as France coach.

Deschamps has until the end of the week to make his decision, added Le Graet.

Individual bonus money of 100,000 euros due to the entire squad for reaching the last eight in Poland and Ukraine had been "frozen", said Le Graet.

After the end of France's 2010 World Cup campaign, the French Football Federation suspended all 23 members of the World Cup squad for their next game.

France failed to win any of their three group games in South Africa.

The campaign included players boycotting training in support of Nicolas Anelka, who was sent home for insulting coach Domenech.

Ronaldo denies pressure ahead of Spain semi-final

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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has denied feeling weighed down by the burden of expectation ahead of his side's semi-final against Spain.

The Real Madrid attacker, 27, has scored three goals in Portugal's last two games to guide his team to a last-four fixture in Ukraine on Wednesday.

With the hopes of the nation focused on him, Ronaldo said: "These games are part of my life.

"I have to be used to them. Responsibility yes, pressure no."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Mark Lawrenson Football Analyst

"Spain believe they are unbeatable but, with Cristiano Ronaldo on song, Portugal will think otherwise. Since playing so negatively for 70 minutes against Germany in their opening game, they have been as good as any team at Euro 2012."

• Read Lawro's full prediction and score

Ronaldo came into the tournament off the back of an outstanding domestic season in Spain, in which he scored 46 goals in 38 league games to drive Real to the title.

After wasting several chances in Portugal's first two group games against Germany and Denmark, Ronaldo scored twice against Netherlands to ensure Portugal's progression to the knockout stages.

He then headed the winner in the 1-0 victory over Czech Republic, setting up a much-anticipated semi-final against neighbours and reigning world and European champions Spain.

"I knew the goals would come," said Ronaldo. "It didn't start very well, but with the sacrifices of my team-mates everything improved."

Spain have had mixed success against Ronaldo and Portugal in recent years. In the 2010 World Cup, they starved him of the ball and clinched a 1-0 last-16 victory in Cape Town before subsequently going on to lift the trophy.

Ronaldo earns Portugal semi-final place

However, in their last meeting in November 2010, Ronaldo helped Portugal to a 4-0 friendly victory in Lisbon.

"It's tough trying to stop a player with his qualities," said Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque. "He's extremely dangerous both when he has space and without it.

"We will try to shut him down, the best example of which we can see in the World Cup, which gave us a good result. It will possibly be with different men and names, but the idea is always the same."

Ronaldo is expected to face former Liverpool full-back Alvaro Arbeloa on the flank of the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.

Arbeloa's team-mates have pledged to come to his aid in a team plan to prevent Ronaldo from exerting influence on the fixture.

Fellow Barcelona and Spain player Xavi said: "We have a great full-back in Arbeloa, who is among the best out there defensively speaking.

SHOOT ON SIGHT

• Cristiano Ronaldo has had more shots (32) than any other player at Euro 2010. Italy's Mario Balotelli is second with 20.

"We'll try to cover for him, to make sure Ronaldo doesn't settle and we don't let him turn."

Several teams, including France and Republic of Ireland, have sought to play a holding game in an attempt to keep Spain at bay.

Portugal defender Joao Pereira, however, insisted his team would seek to play at their own tempo on Wednesday.

"We have to be ourselves and not change the way we play just because we're going to face the reigning world and European champions," he said. "We're going to play our own game."

The last occasion Portugal reached the final of a major tournament was in Lisbon at Euro 2004, when the hosts lost 1-0 to Greece.

Ronaldo is keen to overwrite that memory with success in Poland and Ukraine.

"It's nice that Portugal have a chance to reach another final after eight years," he said. "It will be difficult but we are only one step away."

Cristiano Ronaldo says Portugal are 'ready to fight'

Cristiano Ronaldo says Portugal are 'ready to fight' for a place in the final of Euro 2012.

Ronaldo was once again the match-winner in the 1-0 quarter-final win over Czech Republic, which earned a spot against Spain or France in the last four.

He said: "Our great aim is to get to the final. We have a great squad and now I'd say the chances are 50-50 and we just have to believe.

"We are very mature, so we are ready for the fight."

"Ronaldo was exceptional. The desire, the hunger to get in the right place. He got on the end of the cross and deservedly got his team into the semi-finals. He was the stand-out player. Czech Republic never looked like winning, they never troubled the goalkeeper and didn't deserve to go through."

Ronaldo followed up his superb performance against Netherlands in the final group game with another dominant showing, hitting the post in each half before breaking the deadlock with a powerful header.

"I think it was a fantastic game for Portugal," the Real Madrid forward said.

"In the first 20 minutes we weren't that good but we improved a lot. It was a perfect game for us, with a lot of opportunities. The Czechs didn't have one opportunity.

"We always had the quality to reach the semi-finals. We are happy but know the next match will be difficult but the team is very mature and we are ready."

Portugal coach Paulo Bento agreed that his side grew into the game against disciplined opposition and deserved their place in the semi-finals.

"We showed a great response in the second half, a great capacity to respond to the Czechs and that is why we really deserved this victory," he said.

"We had prepared ourselves in the best possible way for their strategy. We knew they would try to defend very deeply and would press against us on the counter-attack, because they have very quick players who are good technically.

"All the players have tasks on the pitch, and Ronaldo played to our tactical system.

"He has the capacity to play in the penalty area, but also a little deeper."

The Portuguese will now come up against either defending champions Spain, or France, who eliminated them at the semi-final stage of Euro 2000.

Bento - who was banned for five months for dissent after the contentious defeat by France - has no preference which side he takes on in Donetsk on Wednesday 27 June.

"In the semi-finals of a tournament like this, there are always great teams with different characteristics who are well organised with players of great quality," he said.

"It has been a lot of work by us to reach the semi-finals and we will try to recover to reach the pitch in the best condition.

"Our aim will be to win against France or Spain. There cannot be any other goal for us."