Raul: I'm Going To The European Championships

Newspaper headlines may sometimes give the impression that Raul (pictured) and Luis Aragones are at loggerheads, but Spanish sports daily Marca reports, this appears to be far from the truth.

For at the paper's gala Christmas dinner, the two were pictured in pleasant, animated conversation.

Marca contends that the two even exchanged light-hearted but illuminating discussions pertaining to Raul's appearance at next year's Euro 2008.

"I'm fully fit and will go to the Euros," reportedly said the Real Madrid captain.Aragones responded, "Well, you know better than me, but I'm glad that you're in form.""I'll surely be there," continued Raul.Aragones, changing the subject, concluded, "I see that you're confident... we'll see."

Indeed, we will see by June, if not before, whether or not Raul can make an international comeback.

Steve Michaels, Goal.com

Löw: France And Italy Are Euro 2008 Favourites

Germany, last year's third-placed World Cup contenders, are among the sides tipped for success at next year's European Championships in Austria and Switzerland.

However, Nationalelf manager Joachim Löw (pictured) has instead tipped the World Champions and runners-up for glory, with the Iberian sides not far behind.

"I don't see us as the absolute top favourite," Löw told Kicker."In view of the last 10 years, I see France and Italy at the absolute top."I see Spain and Portugal as very strong as well."

Germany last won the tournament in 1996 in England. In the 2004 edition in Portugal, they were sensationally knocked out without a win in Round 1.

by Steve Michaels, Goal.com

Romania Thank's Mutu and Piturca

ACF Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu and national team coach Victor Piturca have been voted Romanian Player and Coach of the Year respectively.

Brilliant form
The pair won a ballot of Romanian club presidents, coaches, captains and supporters run by the newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor and are rewarded for a brilliant 2007 in which they helped their country qualify for UEFA EURO 2008™, the first major tournament Romania has reached in eight years. Mutu has been in inspirational form for both club and country, scoring six times for Romania during qualifying and nine times already for Fiorentina in Serie A.

Chivu second
He was followed in the voting by fellow internationals Cristian Chivu, Bogdan Lobont and Dorin Goian, while Piturca finished above Ioan Andone, whose CFR 1907 Cluj side go into the winter break top of Liga 1, FC Rapid Bucureşti coach Mircea Rednic, who led FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti to the Romanian title last year, and FC Shakhtar Donetsk's Mircea Lucescu. It is the third time Mutu has won the title after 2003 and 2005 while Piturca is named Coach of the Year for the first time.