<i>Economists back Czechs</i>

After careful analysis and some mathematical modelling economists and researchers at Swiss bank UBS have come up with their latest prognosis: The Czech Republic to lift this summer's European Championship at Italy's expense.
The bank's researchers took into account factors such as homeground advantage, the geographical proximity of teams to the host countries, rankings, as well as match tactics.
They see co-host Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Greece advancing into the second round.
But they expect favourites Germany to be kicked out by the Swiss owing to the latter's home advantage.
That would pitch the Swiss against the Czechs, who are expected to win with a 61 percent chance.
On the other side, Italy and the Netherlands are seen advancing over Greece and Spain respectively.
The Azzurri are then seen with a 59 percent chance of getting through to the finals.
But the economists expect the final in Vienna to be tight, with the Czechs chances rated at 51 percent.
"According to a very risky prognosis, the model suggests an undecided match, with penalties deciding the winners," said the economists.
For those sceptical about the economists' prognosis, they prefaced their report saying that they predicted 2006's World Cup winners - the Italians - accurately.