Mertesacker Eyes Holland Showdown at Euro 2012

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker is looking forward to June 16, 2012, the day Germany face Holland at the 2012 European Championships.

Mertesacker will be matching up against teammate Robin van Persie, who has been on absolutely cracking form since last season.

The German international has admitted that marking the Dutch talisman would be a difficult task.

Judging by the fact that nobody in the English Premier League has been able to successfully mark RVP this season, I think he’s right.

“He said he would be happy to see me next summer – that was the first thing he said after the draw,” Mertesacker told Arsenal’s official website.

“This is not a friendly though, it’s a tough game and therefore both of us want to go through the group stage.

“It will be very tough to stop Robin. I think his best position is in the front, in the middle [as a striker]. There he can use his unbelievable skills. He is so reliable in scoring goals it is incredible.”

Mertesacker also admitted that Group B, which also features Denmark and Portugal, is a good group.

“It’s a good group,” said the German  international.

“Obviously it’s one of the best at the Euros. I’m looking forward to playing those big teams and players like Robin.”

“Good group?” Surely that’s the understatement of the century. Group B is hands down the “Group of Death” and may just be one of the toughest groups in the history of the European Championships.

Mertesacker’s Germany were runner-ups to Spain at Euro 2008, but the Gunners center-back believes that Jogi Löw’s side are fully capable of Euro 2012 glory.

Subsequently, the star center-back believes that Germany’s combination of experience and youth can carry them to the top of the European pedestal come the summer of 2012.

“Some players in my age group have more than 80 games and that is good experience,” he said.

“But we also have players who are 19, 20, 21 – that’s an age to be in good shape and that’s what we need next summer.

“We have had many chances in the last three big tournaments. We went to two semi-finals and one final and that’s good for us but if you get that far it’s better to get the title. I think that’s the main point for the next tournament.”

Germany and Holland are undoubtedly the favorites to make it out of the “Group of Death”, but don’t rule out either Denmark or Portugal stealing a spot in the knockout stages of the competition.

Surely Cristiano Ronaldo and Nicklas Bendtner will have something to say about that.