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by Mark Langdon

THE Euro 2008 outright market remains a wide-open heat after the latest batch of qualifiers on Wednesday with Germany marginal favourites to be crowned European champions in Switzerland and Austria next summer.

It is not easy to nominate an outstanding European team at present, but the bookmakers look to have the wrong market leaders.

The old saying of not writing off the Germans in major tournaments is always trotted out prior to the big kick-off and will be again in 12 months' time.

Joachim Loew's side certainly havea decent chance of repeating their 1996 heroics, yet at the same time they look a lay rather than a back at 13-2.

They are unbeaten in qualifying, yet the group does not look particularly awkward, especially as Czech Republic are in transition.

Germany had home advantage to carry them to the semi-finals in last year's World Cup, but the team who beat them in the last four should be favourites for the European Championship.

Step forward Italy, who lifted the World Cup and are just beginning to hit their stride after a sluggish start to Group B.

Serie A had not even begun when their Euro 2008 campaign started, which probably explains why they drew with Lithuania and lost convincingly in France.

They also had a new coach (Roberto Donadoni replaced Marcello Lippi) and the team was suffering from a World Cup hangover.
Fast forward to now and how things are different. The Azzurri look strong in all areas and a new star was born on Wednesday when Fabio Quagliarella bagged a brace in the 2-0 win in Lithuania.

A striker is all that was missing from this brilliant side. Gigi Buffon is the best goalkeeper on the planet, world-class centre-back Fabio Cannavaro marshals the troops and Massimo Oddo and Gianluca Zambrotta are outstanding attacking full-backs.

Rino Gattusso (or Daniele De Rossi) and Andrea Pirlo provide the dream balance of graft and guile in midfield and now they have Quagliarella to finish it off.

Even if the Samp striker proves to be a flash in the pan, Under-21 international Giampaolo Pazzini could emerge as a deadly finisher on the big stage within 12 months.

At 7-1, Italy look the best of the bunch, while it's also easy to see why Portugal continue to prove popular at 12-1. How they remain a bigger price than England is quite staggering.

However, those looking for another Greece, who won the 2004 trophy at a huge price (100-1), could do worse than take a look at Romania at 66-1.

They remain unbeaten in Group G following their 2-0 triumph over Slovenia on Wednesday and have two stars. Christian Chivu is the rock at the heart of the defence, while Adrian Mutu is capable of shooting this under-rated team all the way next summer

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