Germany's Marcus Ehning and Stargold delivered a superb round for Germany, but were maximum unlucky to see a brick on the wall fall to the ground to finish on four faults.

"Was I a good boy?" Yes, you were Limbridge! Clear for Germany with Jana Wargers, to help the team shoot up the overnight standings.

The Swiss came strong in force for the course walk!

Jos Lansink at the impressive Duomo di Milano planks at fence no. 7.

The last oxer caused plenty of problems, and fell over and over. Here Denis Lynch checking it out.

Ludger Beerbaum has three of his riders in Milan, and is of course present to help them all.

Living legend Hugo Simon.

Pedro Cebulka is ring master and makes sure everything runs smoothly...

...and is there to give a word of comfort when things don't go quite according to plan.

Stefan Eder and Condaro compete individually for Austria, and were the first to leave all the fences up yesterday when they finished on a single time penalty.

Italy's Francesco Turturiello thanks Made In't Ruytershof after their round amongst the individuals.

With only one pole down on the upright at 10b, Hungary's Peter Szuhai had good reason to be happy with Chacco's Girlstar.

Christian Kukuk and Mumbai compete individually for Germany, but Otto Becker might have wished to have had them on the team as well as they now sit 9th on the overall standings after their clear round yesterday.

Second-best of the French is the pair that compete individually: Olivier Perreau and GL Events Dorai d'Aiguilly who are 8th on the current standings.

With a clear round, Armando Trapote and the small but mighty Tornado VS helped Spain advance into the top ten and today's team final where they also will fight for Olympic qualification.

It's all about the details at championships!

A big smile from Maikel van der Vleuten who finished with only a time penalty aboard the 9-year-old O'Bailey vh Brouwershof N.O.P. helping the Dutch move up among the top ten teams as they sit 7th ahead of today's final round.

Jur Vrieling has delivered two fantastic rounds on Long John Silver 3 N.O.P. for the Dutch team and sits 7th individually.

Ben Maher's Faltic HB looked magnificent in Thursday's round when jumping the only clear for the British team. The pair sits 14th individually, while the British team is currently ranked 10th ahead of Friday's medal decider.

It was not Belgium's day. They dropped out of the top ten and only have Wilm Vermeir as well as Olivier Philippaerts left to compete individually.

The oxer at no. 14 fell over and over.

The Irish boys have been performing really well in Milan; here Michael Duffy and Cinca 3 who jumped their second clear of the championship. The two now sit 10th individually and 4th with the team.

These two! Switzerland was sitting 2nd overnight, but in Thursday's round it was only Steve Guerdat and the wonderful Dynamix de Belheme that delivered a clear round for the team. The pair now sits 3rd individually as well as with the team.

Dynamix likes to get a snack after her rounds.

The look of love! Emma waits for Dynamix after another clear round.

There's a lot of expectations and pressure when you are world no. one and reigning world champion, but Henrik von Eckermann stayed calm and delivered a clear round with Iliana to help keep the Swedes within medal reach. The pair advanced to 5th individually after yesterday's performance.

Katharina Rhomberg celebrates a clear round with Cuma for the Austrian team, that has impressed to now sit 5th ahead of Friday's medal decider. The Austrians are also looking to qualify for the Olympics.

Scenes from the German team after Philipp Weishaupt's clear round with Zineday.

After two down from Wilma Hellström and Cicci BJN the pressure was on for Jens Fredricson and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson to deliver.

The Italians went wild when Emanuele Camilli and Odense Odeveld jumped a clear round, helping the home team to sit 6th overnight and also climbing up to 6th individually.

Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz impressed again with a clear round, helping Ireland to sit just outside the medals in 4th before Friday's round.

It's not often we see Julien Epaillard this happy, but that was the case after a clear with Dubai du Cedre which moved them up to sit 4th individually.

But no one could do anything about Sweden's Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit, who cruised around the tricky track to a clear round – keeping their individual lead.

A kiss for Oeli R from Austria's Alessandra Reich after the only 9-year-old gelding finished with a single rail down in the triple combination.

Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei were sitting 2nd coming into Thursday's round, and the flashy gelding jumped absolutely unbelievable...

...but then at the very last fence, Leone Jei was maximum unlucky to clip the back rail with the hind-legs – causing an agonising four faults for Switzerland which put them on a score of 9.92, leaving them 3rd overnight.

Disbelief on the Swiss team as the pole hits the ground almost in slow motion, dropping the Swiss from 2nd to 3rd... But today is a new day and anything can happen as ten teams will fight for medals, and additionally Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Spain for Olympic qualification.