IF there is one thing you could be assured of with UEFA, it was that the rules of Euro '96 would require a degree in mathematics, to understand them and at least that promise has been fulfilled.

After the first 16 group matches, only three issues are clear Croatia are in the last eight, Turkey and Romania are out.

But the other 13 nations still have a chance of reaching the quarter finals, with fingers, thumbs and calculators likely to be in use both tonight and tomorrow when the groups are concluded.

Eight teams have to go through, and the teams level on points will be ranked as follows. The first discriminant will be the games between those teams in the group matches. If more than two teams are locked together, goal difference in their matches will come next, followed by goals scored in those games.

Then comes goal difference in he group as a whole, again followed by goals scored, before the final decider of the FIFA coefficient, based on the qualifying games and finals for Euro `92, USA `94 and Euro `96.

A draw will put England and Holland through, with England on top and earning a Wembley quarter final with the runners up from group B. Scotland can only go through if England beat Holland. Still they will probably need to score three against the Swiss, because of Holland's better coefficient. Even if England lose 1-0, the Swiss would need to score three against the Scots to put Terry Venables' side out. A 2-0 win for the Swiss would be enough (on coefficients) if England lost by two.

Victory for either France or Bulgaria would definitely put them through as group winners and a draw would qualify France on the basis of their better coefficient. A Spain win by two, coupled with a draw in the other game, would see them win the group and a 1-0 win would allow them to sneak past the Bulgarians by virtue of the coefficient if that Newcastle game finished 1-1.

All four could still get through 2 although it would take a heave (three goal) defeat by the Italians coupled with a win for the Czechs, to deny Germany. A win for Italy will put them through, but if both matches are drawn they will go out because of their defeat by the Czechs. A German win would leave a slight opening for the Russians, but they would have to win by a minimum of two, to sneak through.

Croatia are through, but Portugal could take top spot with a win at Nottingham. A draw would put both sides into the last eight, eliminating the holders, who need the Croats to win and to knock a few past the homeward bound Turks (3-0 if Croatia win 1-0)