Ahead of the crucial Euro 2012 match between hosts Poland and Czech Republic, Sport-locker.net caught up with Poland’s Grzegorz Wojtkowiak…

How did you feel when you found out that Poland and Ukraine would be hosting the European Championships?

I felt great. It’s been like four years, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I feel happy not only about the team, but for the whole country.

People abroad only see stadiums and maybe airports. I see roads, new grounds, hundreds of little pitches… everything. We made a big leap thanks to Euro.

Can you tell us about your experiences of playing for Poland at home in the past?

Great, just great. In Poland playing for the national team is something that everyone dreams of. Fulfilling this dream is a turning point in everyone’s career.

Who are the teams to look out for during the Euro?

The Spanish are the clear-cut favourites for me.

Who are the players to look out for during the tournament?

Iniesta is a great player. There will be many good ones, like Xavi or Van Persie, but Andres gets the edge.

Your last game is against the Czech Republic, how do you feel about this game and what pressure / expectation do you think there is on the Polish national team?

We have to start well in the game and have confidence. If that happens we can reach the elimination phase. The Czech team is less physical than the other teams in our group, but compensates with brilliant technique – they are very offensively minded so we’ll have to play well. 

I can feel the pressure going into this last game but it is the moment I’ve been waiting for my whole life. I’ve been playing as a pro for almost a decade, and I can sincerely say that nothing will top the Euro in Poland. It’s just bigger than any other tournament for us.

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