The German Giants are trying to be the first team since Internazionale in 1965 to win the European Cup on the home ground which brings its own pressure for the favourites, Bayern are a best priced 5/4 with Skybet.com to win the match in 90mins.

Chelsea have been very, very good under Roberto Di Matteo losing just twice in 12 matches a run that has delivered the FA Cup two weeks ago when they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Final at Wembley and has seen them best the mighty Barcelona over two legs winning at the Bridge 1-0 and drawing 2-2 at the Camp Nou and that was without John Terry being sent off with an hour left of the game. Chelsea can be backed to win inside 90 mins at a best priced 4/1 with Betfair.com.

Bayern Came through the incredibly tough two legged tie with La Liga Champions Real Madrid to make this the final “that no one wanted” according to Bayern’s ex-Chelsea star Arjen Robben. Munich lead from their home leg 2-1 going into the return in front of an expectant Santiago Bernabeu crowd witnessed Real fly into a 2-0 lead thanks to Christiano Ronaldo with a brace of early goals within the first fifteen minutes but a Pepe foul on German International in the penalty box gave Arjen Robben the opportunity to bring the Bundesliga Giants back into the tie and he didn’t fail from the spot!

For this match to go to the dreaded penalties on the night you can take 6/1 with Bet365.com. Bayern to win on penalties can be backed at 12/1 with betvictor.com and Chelsea are also 12/1 with betvictor.com but are 14/1 with Williamhill.com.

There were no more goals in the second half or extra time so it went to the dreaded spot kicks, Christiano Ronald stepped and the 60 goal man missed, Kaka then followed that Ronaldo miss with one of his own and the home side were seriously on the back foot. Real didn’t monopolise the market for missed pens as Lahm and Kroos failed for Bayern but when it came to Bastien Schweinstigers chance to seal the home final at the Allianz he didn’t miss it and here we all are.

Chelsea Team News
David Luiz and Gary Cahill are winning their individual fitness battles for the final in Munich but they are beset by suspensions with John Terry, Raul Mereilles, Branislav Ivanovic and Ramires all suspended following the semi final win over Barcelona .

Bayern Munich Team News
Bayern’s Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber will also miss the final, which is being played at their home ground, the Allianz Arena, through suspension.

Betting Tips
Bayern are 2/5 to lift the Champions League trophy tonight in front of their expectant crowd and they are indeed a formidable opponent but so are Di Matteo’s Chelsea who already have that Cup winning feeling this season with the FA Cup already secured at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are underdogs though and are 2/1 to win the Champions League.
Our Prediction must be Bayern 2-1 Chelsea due to home advantage and Chelsea without John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic may have rushed back Luiz and Cahill so may be a little light at the back.
Bayern Munich 2-1 Chelsea paying out 9/1 with Betfair.com.

This match is considered to be worth around £90 million for the winner with big income guaranteed over the next four seasons even if you are relegated straightaway due to parachute payments. It could be a tight tense affair so the draw after 90 mins is on offer at 13/5.

West Ham finished fully eleven points infront of the Lancashire club over the regular season but that counts for absolutely jack when kickoff arrives, that eleven point gap is helped in no small part by West Ham’s two big wins over Blackpool as the scored four goals against them both home and away. West Ham to win 4-1 over Blackpool again would pay out 28/1 whilst a repeat of the Hammers 4-0 win over the tangerines is also on offer at 28/1.

The Hammers are playing really well at this stage of the season and are a clear favourite to gain promotion back to the EPL after their one sided victory over Cardiff City in the semis winning 2-0 at the City of Cardiff stadium before sticking three past the same opposition at Upton Park just a few days later.West Ham to win over 90 mins is backable at 10/11.

Blackpool had a much tougher route to Wembley against another team hoping to return to the top flight at the first time of asking in Birmingham City, Blackpool took a fortuitous 1-0 lead down to St Andrews with a deflected shot. To many onlookers that didnt look to be enough for Blackpool as Birmingham had only lost once at St Andrews all season, the game that followed was a brilliant 2-2 draw which saw Blackpool clinging on at the end after being 2-0 and seemingly strolling into the final. For Blackpool to go up within 90 mins it would pay out 3/1.

Ian Holloways knows all about winning the Championship play-offs when he guided through it two years ago culiminating in a 3-2 win over Cardiff at Wembley and most of his squad from that day are still around, that is experience that West Ham cannot call on.
West Ham to lift the trophy is very short at 8/15 whilst Blackpool are 6/4 to repeat their glory of two years ago.

Team News
Midfielder Jack Collison has handed West Ham a major fitness boost ahead of the Championship play-off final with Blackpool on Saturday. The 23-year-old has recovered from the dislocated shoulder he suffered in the semi-final secong leg against Cardiff. Collison has been a key figure for the Hammers and scored both their goals in the first leg of the semi in Wales.

Betting Tips
We think there will be plenty of goals in this game and would get on the over 2.5 goals on offer at 3/4. Blackpool beat Cardiff two years ago 3-2 and we would go that way again paying out 33/1.

The Ukrainian authorities are still working round the clock to get their host cities ready for the visiting teams even with just four weeks to go so it will be a close run thing for everything to be ready on time but that isn’t the concern of the players they just need to concentrate on staying fit for the big kick-off against Sweden on the 11th June in Kiev.

They have automatically qualified as hosts so there is hasn’t been any tense away games at a group rivals to call on for us, just a string of friendlies that cant really give an indication on how a teams is performing, but that’s all we have so lets take a look. For The Ukrainians to qualify from group D it would pay out 11/8.

Last time out they managed to beat Israel 3-2 having thrown away a 2-0 lead at halftime, before that they grabbed a last minute win over Austria in Lviv which was just four days after arguably their best recent result which was a 3-3 draw with tournament favourites Germany, a game they lead 3-1 with 25mins to go. Ukraine to win the group in thei debut appearance would pay out 5/1.

First up for the Ukrainians are the talented Swedish side lead by head coach Erik Hamren and goalscoring skipper Zlatan Ibrahimovic, they finished second in their group to the mercurial Dutch. Sweden were only 3pts behind the Netherlands at the final reckoning but suffer a battering at their hands in match three losing 4-1 in Amsterdam. The Swedes to qualify from group D is on offer at 7/4 which makes them the outsiders.

Wins over Moldova and San Marino followed by a 5-0 hammering of neighbours Finland eased Sweden to the brink of qualification which they rubber stamped by gaining sweet revenge over Holland by a 3-2 scoreline on home soil, that was a first defeat in 17 for the Dutch so no mean achievement!

Unlike their hosts Sweden have played in the Euro finals on many occasions since hosting the event 1992, they reached the semis that year which remains their best showing, they have qualified for every tournament bar 1996 since their debut and they will be dangerous in the group stages. Sweden are an 11/2 shot to win the group.

1998 World Cup Winners and 2000 European Champions France are always going to be a dangerous opponent with their pedigree and should be no different this time round, they have at least made the finals with a minimum of controversy unlike their South Africa 2010 campaign but least said about that the better.

The two times European Champions are now under the leadership of former captain Lauren Blanc following their debacle of a World Cup campaign in 2010. They are serial qualifiers for major tournaments and in the Euros their record is fantastic, they have qualified on all but one occasion since 1984 when they hosted and won the tournament.

Last time in the Swiss-Austrian competition they failed to make it out of the group stage, which was their worst showing for 16 years. If they better their last Euro performance and win the group that would pay out 13/8 making them joint favourites with England.

They are unbeaten in their last eight matches with four wins and four draws coming from their qualification and friendly matches, they were mightily impressive in their last match with Germany at Bremen ’s Wesserstadion when they secured a 2-1 win over the Germans who waltzed through their own qualification group without a scratch. France to qualify for the knockout stages that would pay out 8/15 with most bookies.

Last but by no means least come the English team, quadrennial under achievers having to put up with unrealistic expectations of their fans when they travel en mass to each and every tournament whether it is the World Cup or the Euros and pretty much every time they fail to live up to those weighty expectations.

This year may very well be different in terms of expectations though, having qualified comfortably at the top of their group they have been beset with controversy over the conduct of some of the players with Captain John Terry being the main headline maker for all the wrong reasons.

Fabio Cappello left the England managers job after the successful qualifying campaign over the John Terry captaincy issue and has now been replaced on a full time basis by former West Brom and Liverpool head coach Roy Hodgson. For Roy’s boys to make the grade and qualify for the knockout stages it would pay out 1/2 which is a little short for us.

Hodgson has extensive experience both of the English game and international football as well so should be a safe fit for the Football Association however he has been put in post so late in the day that his first squad will be his Euro 2012 squad and that is why the expectation levels for England are lower this time round and we that can only be a good thing. England to win group D would give the brave punter a 13/8 return which, as we have said, makes them joint favourites with France.

Group C is a very competitive group with two of the World’s super power footballing nations going head-to-head in Italy and Spain alongside two other sides who are tough, determined and hard to beat but both have serious goal threats in the shape of Republic of Ireland and Croatia who both came through the play-offs to take their places at Euro 2012.

Croatia are lead by Slaven Bilic in his sixth year as head coach and with English Premier League players like Niko Kranjcar, Luka Modric and now Nikica Jelavic to call on he has got some fantastic talent to call upon for this tournament. Croatia look like the major threat to a Spain Italy one-two in this group but may still come up short but we will see next month. Croatia to win Group C would pay out 7/1.

They had to come through a very tough two legged play-off with Turkey to make it to Poland-Ukraine 2012 but they pretty much killed the tie off in the first leg in Istanbul when they won 3-0 thanks to goals from Bayern’s Ivica Olic, Mandzukic and defender Corluka. That first leg win meant they could take it easy for the return leg in Zagreb which ended 0-0 and that was clearly more than enough for the Croats. Croatia to qualify from Group C is on offer at 7/4.

Like Croatia the Republic of Ireland had to come through the play-offs having finishing second in the group to Russia during their qualification group, the Irish are also the first opponents for Croatia on June 10th in Poznan. If Trapattoni can produce a miracle and get Eire to top the group it would pay out 14/1 but lets face it that is a longshot.

Giovanni Trapattoni has done a wonderful job in getting perennial nearly men Eire to a finals for the first time since 2002, they were drawn against Estonia in the Play-off and this time they were not going to let the chance slip ala france for the World Cup 2010.

The Republic of Ireland completely took the sting out Estonia being at home in the first leg, won 4-0 in Talinn before they sealed the deal for the Irish with a 1-1 draw at the Aviva Stadium Dublin. Eire will once again be looking for their Captain and record goalscorer Robbie Keane to add to his tally of 53 International goals, if he doesn’t we think they will struggle to ge through this group and we think they are a good bet for the Group C wooden spoon. For the Republic of Ireland to qualify from Group C it would pay out 7/2.

The Italians will always be one of the favourites when it comes to Internation football competitions being multiple World Cup winners and are a serious threat to the Spanish in this group but its 44 years since they have won the European Championships which is far too long for such a major nation, their last World Cup Triumph came in Germany 2006.

The one thing we like about the Azzurri squad is that all but three of their players are all based in Italy’s Serie A with Juventus contributing seven players from their title challenging squad including the massively experience Andrea Pirlo who has 82 international caps and 9 goals. Italy are second favourites for the group and are backable at 16/5 to finish top.

Italy won their qualificationg group at a canter from Estonia in the end but were really in a group without a real threat of anyone finishing above them, the finals however will be a different story as waiting for them are the World and European Champions Spain, a team the Azzurri have played many times over the years and they have a very even record, Spain have won eight times to Italy’s ten with eleven matches finishing level. Italy are short priced 8/13 to qualify from Group C.

The defending European Champions and 2010 World Cup winners Spain are of course the favourites for the top spot in Group C against Ireland, Croatia and the Italians but they will have to be at their best as all three teams will pose different questions of Vincente Del Bosques fantastic team of Champions lead by goalkeeping Stalwart Iker Cassillas who as 128 International Caps to his name. Spain are strong favourites to win this group at 8/15.

This side is so talented and strong they likes of Arsenal FC’s Mikel Arteta gets nowhere near a call up when he has Fabregas, Villa, Silva, Iniesta, Mata and Busquets all in front of him and five of their current midfield choices have over 50 caps each meaning they have been playing superbly well with each other for years. If you think the Spanish are short to win the group then prepare yourselves for the odds to qualify from it, 1/10! Totally unbackable in our opinion.

It would take a supreme young talent to break the stranglehold of the older guard in this set up and they do have one just about coming through in Athletico Bilbao’s teenager Iker Munian who has just grabbed his first Spanish Cap.

Spain are two-times European Champions, they won in Austria-Switzerland 2008 and also way back in 1964 when they hosted the tournament, it is damn near impossible to see them crashing out at the first hurdle considering the talent, belief and winning mentality within the squad we would make them a nailed on bet to make the knockout stage.

They have a very good record over the Milton Keynes Dons since they met in 2004, they have won six of the twelve matches played between the clubs, drawn twice and lost just four times. They are also unbeaten against the home side since 2008 winning four and drawing the other three enocunters in that unbeaten run. Huddersfield Town to qualify for the final would pay out 5/6.

In the regular season these two sides are even-steven with a couple of 1-1 draws both at Stadium MK and the Mcalpine Stadium (or whatever it is called nowadays!) Milton Keynes came into being in 2004 when they moved from Wimbledon and have been a League One club for the last four years which is a great achievement but they are desperate to go one better and make the Championship for the first time in their young history. Milton Keynes to win this home leg would pay out 6/5.

This is the fourth time they have made the end of season play-offs for Leagues One and Two and it is the second season in a row at this level unfortunately they have failed at this stage on their last three attempts at it but there is a first time for everything. For the Dons to qualify for the final it would pay out 5/6, which is exactly the same as for Huddersfield Town.

Team News
MK Dons boss Karl Robinson is hoping to have defender Gary MacKenzie back following an illness. Former Leeds United and England forward Alan Smith is likely to retain his place behind a front two of Dean Bowditch and Charlie MacDonald.
Huddersfield are set to recall striker Jordan Rhodes after resting him for their last two matches, with Lee Novak or Kallum Higginbotham to miss out. Fellow striker Alan Lee (knee) is back in contention.

Betting Tips
Town Boss Simon Grayson has previously won the League One play-offs with Blackpool in 2007 and given the attacking threat of Jordan Rhodes and Co they will be favourites to make it through this time round but may have to settle for a third successive 1-1 draw with the MK Dons which would pay out 5/1.

Crewe had recorded their league double over teh shrimpers in 2010-11 season but that was out of character, from their head-to-head record with Southend they have won just 9 compared to 19 Southend United wins and the other six were drawn. A draw in the first leg would pay out 9/4.

Crewe Alexandra are unbeaten in the last sixteen League One matches as they enter the play-off picture for the first time in fifteen years, their last day draw gave them the point they needed to secure seventh place, it isn’t all good news though as the team finishing in the final play-off spot has only gone on to gain promotion four times since 1987. Crewe to win the first leg at home it is backable at 11/8 whilst Southend are 2/1 to win at Gresty Road.

For Crewe to make the final they will have to do it the hard way and have the away leg second, if the Alex make it passed Southend it would pay out evens withmost bookies whilst Southend are slight favourites at 8/11.

Team News
Crewe Alexandra are again sweating on the fitness of skipper Dave Artell for Saturday’s play-off semi-final first-leg visit of Southend to Gresty Road. Artell has recovered from the hamstring strain that has kept him out for the last three matches, but has now suffered a new foot injury in training.
Southend boss Paul Sturrock has a near fully-fit squad to choose from. Keeper Cameron Belford has shaken off the dead leg he picked up in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Macclesfield. Sturrock is still without long-term absentees Liam Dickinson (ankle), Jean-Paul Kalala and Barry Corr (both knee) and Christian Dailly (toe).

Betting Tips
We fancy Southend to make it through and it will pay out 8/11 but just as a one off match we think this will end in a 2-2 draw paying out 12/1. Neil Harris generally a good bet to score for the shrimpers at 15/2 for the first or last goal and 9/4 to score at anytime.

This the second part of our build up were we will be looking at the initial group chances for those teams in Group B. The two teams to qualify from group B will be pitted in the first Knockout round against their Group A counterparts and unlike group A this one is full of European heavyweight footballing nations so much so that the 1992 Champions Denmark look to be easily the weakest nation of the four.

We will start with the Danes in that case and we are pretty much ruling them out of coming through this group but refering back to their glorious triumph 1992 they beat Netherlands on penalties, who were defending Champions from 1988, in the semis and then went on to beat the 1990 World Cup Winners Germany in the final by a 2-0 scoreline and two of those sides are in Group A along with them. Denmark to win the group is backable at 16/1 which makes them big outsiders.

The Danes failed to make it to Euro 2008 but came roaring back this time by winning the group which included the Portuguese , a rivalry that has been put back on the fixture list as Portugal are the fourth team in this veritable group of death. Despite out-qualifying the Portuegese and finishing three points in front of them we still think Denmark are still the outsiders of the group and they will finish bottom. We dont believe Denmark will come through this group but if you disagree you can take them at 9/2.

Portugal come into the tournament not as qualification group winners as they fell behind Denmark but had to come through a tense two legged play-off match with Bosnia this is depsite having Christiano Ronaldo in their side and the team scoring 21 goals during the eight qualifying matches. Portugal are on offer at 4/1 to win the group.

The Portugal squad is undoubtably talented group of individuals but they are definately a nearly team they reach the knockout stages of tournaments quite often but then seem to stall however this time they may struggle to get out of this group and will be heavily reliant on Captain and Talisman Christiano Ronaldo who will need to be at his brilliant best to drag them through this group of death. Portugal to finish in the top two is on offer at 6/5.

Next up for our Group B are the mercurial Dutch team lead by Arsenal FC’s talisman Robin Van Persie who is having his best ever season, scored a bucket full of goals in the English Premier league and has been voted Player of the Year for 2011-12 season. Holland are second favourites to top the group at 15/8.

The Dutch swept through qualifying with just one blemish on their otherwise perfect record, they won nine out of their ten matches suffering just one defeat , they scored 37 goals in their ten matches which is extremely healthy and conceded just eight so they have the great mix of a potent strike force and solid defence.

They were three points in front of runners up sweden who were that team to beat the dutch in the qualifying group, it was a 3-2 reverse for Holland at the Rasunda Stadium with Kuyt and Huntelaar scoring for the Orange men. Holland to just to qualify is on offer at 1/2 with bet365.com

last but by no means least are the favourites in the betting for the group, Germany, they were nothing short of perfection in qualifying for the finals in fact apart from our two co-hosts Ukraine and Poland they were the first nation to rubber stamp their place.

Germany won ten out of ten in their qualification group finishing thirteen points clear of Turkey in second place and fifteen clear of the third placed Belgians. They had an average of three goals for in those ten matches and conceded just 7 in the whole campaign. Germany are a big favourite to win Group B currently trading at 11/10.

They then sent a message to the rest of the Euro teams by going on to batter the Dutch in a friendly a the Nordbank Arena last November putting Kuyt and Co to the sword 3-0. Germany are very short to qualify from Group B at 1/4.

The victors will face West Ham United at Wembley in the final and will both be second favourites following the Hammers ruthless dismantling of Cardiff Cith over two legs, 5-0 over of the whole tie showed West Ham’s attacking prowess is alive and well. If Birmingham qualify for the final it would pay out 6/5.

Ian Holloway’s Tangerines are in fine form going into this match currently on an eight match unbeaten run including their 1-0 nil in the first leg against Birmingham which had also extended their winning play-off sequence to ten matches.

Blackpool may be smallest club in this now three-way fight to return to the top flight but they have got form for the play-offs winning the final over Cardiff at Wembley two seasons ago. Blackpool are 3/1 to win the match.

Birmingham have battled financial adversity all season long with their owner having his assets frozen which meant they had to trim the wage bill and sell some of their Premier League players from last season, they also had their Carling Cup winning manager taken away by their bitterest of rivals Aston Villa, which hasn’t exactly worked out for the Villains. Birmingham are backable at 5/6 to win the match.

Blackpool lead the all time head-to-head with Birmingham City with their 39 wins to Brums 32 and the other 19 encounters have finished even. Another draw would pay out 11/4 and if that was the result it would be Blackpool going to wembley and not Birmingham City.

Birmingham City did win the regular season encounter with Blackpool 3-0 at St Andrews when ex-brum Captain Barry Ferguson was sent off for violent conduct and Marlon King, youngster Nathan Redmond and Curtis Davies scored, Davies however was attributed with the own goal last Friday that gave the Tangerines their slim advantage for tomorrow night.
Team News
Blackpool expect defender Ian Evatt to be fit for their Championship play-off semi-final second leg at Birmingham. Evatt broke his nose in training on 27 April and suffered an accidental blow to the injury late in the first leg, which the Seasiders won 1-0.
Roman Bednar resumed training ahead of last Friday’s game following a knee injury but is unlikely to feature. Blues keeper Colin Doyle should play after recovering from a knock he took to his shoulder at Bloomfield Road. The 26-year-old has been City’s regular number one since on-loan Boaz Myhill’s season was ended by a thumb ligament injury in early April.

Betting Tips
We think that Birmingham City will take the match on the nights 2-1 paying out 15/2 and sending the tie into extra time. Ian Holloway is an extremely lucky manager so we expect Blackpool to take it in extra time paying out 12/1.

United have been pretty strong again at home but there have been blips in 2011/12 like the hoem defeat to Blackburn Rovers at the turn of the year and the incredible 4-4 draw with mid-table Everton a couple of weeks ago, the home side let slip a 3-1 and 4-2 lead which brought life to the title race,without Everton’s help City would be out of this now.

Man United to win another home game would pay out 1/6 which is too short for the average punter but considering they have won 14, drawn 2 and lost just two at Old Trafford its not hard to see why the bookies have priced them like that.

Swansea City have had a great first season in the English Premier League playing their fantastic brand of passing football inspired by young coach Brendan Rogers who like his club has done nothing but enhance his already growing reputation. A draw for the Swans would sure have them dancing in the streets in south wales and it is on offer at 6/1.
Swansea’s success has been built on a solid base at the Liberty Stadium, on their travels they have been less impressive whilst not being embarrassed they have lost ten times on the road and have only won four and drawn the rest. An Unlikely away win this week would pay out a huge but unrealistic 16/1.

Team News
Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck is out after injuring his ankle in a tackle with Nigel de Jong during Monday’s derby. Jonny Evans remains sidelined, but Anders Lindegaard is available for the first time since January.
Former United youth player Alan Tate (calf) could be available for Swansea after returning to training. The Swans are also monitoring the fitness of right-back Angel Rangel (hamstring).

Match Betting
Swansea have never won at Old Trafford, they have lost six and drawn twice in the all time head-to-head stats away to the champions and we don’t see that changing this weekend either, Manchester United to win 4-0 and send out a message to the rest of the premier lea…. hang scratch that the rest of Manchester! 4-0 home win pays out 17/2.

Wayne Rooney to celebrate getting the accolade of scoring the best goal in the 20 premier league seasons by scoring in this match pays out 2/1 on and is 11/4 to score first or last. The top eight first goalscorer options are all for the home side, the best bet for Swansea is unsurprisingly Danny Graham at 16/1 to score first or last and 15/4 to score at anytime.

This is the second most prestigious international title that the European nations can win behind of course the World Cup, however there are no weak teams in this competition, all the countries have won through a gruelling qualification process and are now into four groups of top quality teams.

For us the most open group appears to the Group A containing the co-hosts Poland along with 2004 Winners Greece, 1996′s Runners-up Czech republic and the hosts of the 2018 World Cup finals Russia.

Poland have not had to qualify for the finals being on of the hosting nations and they will be playing all their games, quite rightly, at the national stadium in Warsaw. The Poles are going to have to improve massively if they are going to do anything at all in their home tournament if their last qualification campaign is anything to go by, despite drawing an easy looking they failed to make it to SA 2012 finishing second from bottom of the group with just San Marino below them.

Poland to win the group pays out 3/1 and to just qualify from group A they are as short as 5/6 but as hosts they will have s slight advantage over the Czechs.

Greece qualified for the finals as group Winners infront of a very talented Croatian team, they won 7 out of their 10 matches home and away and drew the other three. Going unbeaten through the whole qualification process is very impressive especially considering they have gone to Croatia, Israel and Latvia.

They only conceded five goals in the ten matches played and scored 14, not exactly prolific but certainly hard to beat. Greece to out their nations troubles behind them and win this group would pay out 9/2 and for the outsiders just to get through it would be 11/8.

Russian football is on a high at the moment with them being awarded (or buying) the FIFA World Cup for 2018 and now qualifying for the finals coming through a tough group which included fellow qualifiers Republic of Ireland and SA 2012 qualifiers Slovakia.

The 1960′s European Championship winners are also lead by the supremely experienced and serial winning Head Coach Dick Advocaat. Advocaat to take the team through as Group A winners would it would pay out 13/10 and they are a short priced favourite to just go through at 4/9.

The Czech Republic have been ever presents in the European Championship finals since they split from the Czechoslovakia 1992, they qualified at the first time of asking in 1996 and went all the way to the final only to lose agonisingly on the golden goal in extra time.

They are lead by the former Czechoslovakia international midfielder Michal Bilek, he has been in charge for coming up to three years now and they are looking very good for the tournament and strong candidates to make the knock out stages. The Czechs are talented, that is not in question but they are third favourites to win the group at 7/2 and to make it through either first or second it would pay out 6/5.