Croatia can win the Euro 2008 title claimed their highly-rated young coach Slaven Bilic on Wednesday.

Injured Spain strikers David Villa and Sergio Garcia have pulled out of Wednesday night´s Euro 2008 warm-up match against the USA at Santander, Spain´s team doctor said.

Relegated Primera Liga team Real Zaragoza are prepared to sell talented Argentinean midfielder Pablo Aimar.

Cristiano Ronaldo is totally focussed on adding the Euro 2008 title to the Premiership and Champions League trophies he won with Manchester United this season and not being distracted about his future claimed squad mate Paulo Ferreira on Wednesday.

The Dutch cannot afford to go on all out attack against world champions Italy in their Euro 2008 Group C opener next Monday insisted striker Ruud van Nistelrooy in an interview with Dutch magazine Sportweek.

The Czech Republic squad for Euro 2008 is as strong as the one that reached the semi-finals in the 2004 edition claimed their veteran coach Karel Bruckner on Wednesday.

Russia completed their programme of Euro 2008 warm-up matches with a 4-1 win over Lithuania here on Wednesday.

With just days to go before Euro 2008 kicks off in Austria and Switzerland, Italy coach Roberto Donadoni finally put his signature to a new contract that will keep him in his role until after the next World Cup.

Euro 2004 finalists Portugal should be regarded as favourites for winning Group A at Euro 2008 and not Turkey insisted the latter´s star turn Nihat Kahveci on Wednesday.

Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta left hospital on Wednesday to join up with his team-mates in Santander after being treated for a severe bout of food poisoning.

Czech Republic coach Karel Bruckner cancelled his press conference on Tuesday after being taken ill suddenly only days before they open their Euro 20087 campaign against co-hosts Switzerland.

The top eight teams are unchanged in this month's Fifa world rankings. Argentina are still top followed by Brazil, Italy and Spain. England move up to 9th place, Scotland drop two spots to 17th and the USA remain in 21st. With Euro 2008 to kick off in June, of the 16 teams taking part 15 are in the top 50, the only exception being co-hosts Austria who are up nine places to 92nd position. Italy are the highest ranked at 3rd, followed by Spain 4th, Germany 5th, Czech Republic 6th, France 7th, Greece 8th, Netherlands 10th, Portugal 11th, Romania 12th, Croatia 15th, Turkey 20th, Russia 24th, Poland 28th, Sweden 30th, Switzerland 44th and Austria 92nd. The closeness of the ranking shows what a tight tournament lays in store. We are still putting our money on Italy, despite Cannavaro's injury. 1 Argentina 2 Brazil 3 Italy 4 Spain 5 Germany 6 Czech Republic 7 France 8 Greece 9 England 10 Netherlands 11 Portugal 12 Romania 13 Cameroon 14 Mexico 15 Croatia Full world rankings Last month's Fifa World Rankings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football fifa

LDU Quito have secured a place in the final of the Copa Libertadores. After last week's 1-1 draw away from home, opponents America de Mexico were now held to a scoreless draw.

Arsenal have extended the contract of French defender Bakari Sagna, who will now be staying in London until 2014.

Chilean side Everton have won the national championship for the first time in 32 years after a 5-0 aggregate win over Colo Colo in the final.

Argentina consolidate their top spot in the official FIFA World Ranking, with England being the only change in the top ten.

Ajax Amsterdam have given Spanish forward Albert Luque the freedom to accept a good offer from another team.

Goalkeeper Hans-Jörg Butt will have to find a new employer. The German and Portuguese side Benfica mutually agreed to end their cooperation.

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro underwent an operation on his left ankle on Wednesday in Vienna, after injuring it during training on Monday, the chief medical officer for the Euro, Christian Gaebler said.

Injury-prone Dutch attacking midfielder Robin van Persie said on Wednesday he was ready to take his place against world champions Italy in their Euro 2008 opener on June 9 - should coach Marco van Basten feel he was match fit.