UEFA Euro 2012 in October 2011, the nine group winners qualified automatically, along with the highest ranked second placed team. The remaining eight-second placed teams contested two-legged play-offs, and the four winners qualified for the finals. Twelve of the sixteen finalists participated at the previous tournament in 2008. England and Denmark made their return to the Euro, having last participated in 2004, while Republic of Ireland returned after a twenty-four-year absence to make their second appearance at a European Championship. One of the co-hosts, Ukraine, made their debut as an independent nation (before 1992 Ukraine participated as part of the Soviet Union). With
Concerns and controversies related to UEFA Euro 2012 "de Volksrant", the story was sensationalized by "de Telegraaf". The first incidence of hooliganism at Euro 2012 happened on 8 June 2012 after Russia vs Czech Republic in Wrocław. Russian hooligans were violent against Polish stewards at the Wrocław`s Municipal Stadium. Around 30 Russian hooligans attacked a handful of stewards. Four stewards needed hospital treatment after this attack. On 11 June 2012, before the Euro 2012 match between Croatia and Ireland, Croatian football fans clashed with riot police in the Polish city of Poznań. Croatian fans threw chairs, bottles and flares at Polish riot police. The incident began after a