EURO Sunday

Spot on from Tom here, as Spain held their nerve in the penalty shootout to go through.

Sunday’s quarter-final between Spain and Italy is a real clash of the heavyweights but all the evidence at Euro 2008 so far points to only one winner and for me the Spanish look an excellent bet at around the 1.90 mark to advance.

While I was dubious about their prospects before things got underway, and they obviously have not won anything yet, Spain have really impressed me so far and their strength in depth is frightening.

Villa and Torres receive much of the praise, and rightly so, for the wonderful link up play but it is in midfield where Spain really excel and it is going to take a very good team to stop them.

Italy are the one side set up to strangle the life out of Spain but the loss of their two main men from the midfield through suspension is an enormous blow and they may just be overrun by the more nimble, and ultimately more talented, Spain.

The absence of Pirlo and Gattuso swings the tie massively in favour of the Spanish and although I have Italy running for me in the outright I just can’t see how they will have enough possession to hurt their opponents on Sunday.

A last game escape against France may well have galvanised them, but Italy are now without three of their most influential players, with Fabio Cannavaro also on the sidelines, and to make the last four is a big ask.

It may well take Spain extra time and beyond to settle it but they are the class act on show and I would have the prices skewed much more in their favour.