Peter Wright bounced back to winning ways on the big TV stage in Dortmund 12 months ago, but will 'Snakebite' have enough in his locker to retain the title this time around?
1983 World Darts Champion Keith Deller MBE doesn't believe so, instead tipping up Luke Littler to last the distance and land European Championship glory on Sunday.
Our resident darts expert explains why he is backing 'The Nuke' to last the pace as well as providing us with the rest of his best bets for the four-day long event.
Luke Littler - To Win Outright @ 4/1
Ross Smith - To Win 1st Quarter @ 4/1
Michael Smith - To Win Quarter @ 4/1
Luke Littler - Most Tournament 180s @ 4/1
It's difficult to look beyond Luke Humphries at this moment in time, but I am doing just that this week.
The world champion has reached the final of every major televised event in 2024, but, for me, that run comes to an end out in Germany.
Why? Because of Luke Littler.
'The Nuke' looked absolutely sensational in the Czech Open last weekend, firing averages of 110, 116 and 111 to set-up a quarter-final meeting with the world number one.
Humphries' superiority on the finishing doubles - 54 percent to Littler's 30 percent - proved the difference in that match, and the Warrington ace will be desperate to make amends for that defeat with the pair on course to meet in the semi-finals of this particular event.
Titles have dried up a tad for him in recent times and he will have been hugely frustrated at the manner of his first round eliminations from both the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix events.
But let's not forget that he has enjoyed a remarkable opening season on the full tour - winning the Premier League as well as the World Series of Darts, and he is my bet to add to his tally with victory, on debut, at the European Championship.
We have seen this tournament throw up surprises in the past and I am expecting to see a few more upsets play out over the coming days.
I always like to take a good look at each quarter of the draw - it's where the value can often be found I feel.
I'd be surprised not to see Luke Humphries and Luke Littler come through their quarters, but where does the value lie in the opposite side of the draw?
Well, for me, it lies in the two Smiths - Ross and Michael.
Neither player has been pulling up too many trees as of late, but both have shown signs that their games are in decent shape. It's more about finding that consistency now.
Ross was the champion of this event two years ago - beating Michael in that memorable final - so has pedigree out in Germany, and will quietly fancy his chances of another deep run, especially given his favourable draw.
He sits in a quarter that is topped by Martin Schindler, an out of sorts Gerwyn Price and Ryan Searle, and providing he can find the consistency that he does possess, then I feel there is plenty of betting value in his price.
The same can be said for Michael too, although it has to be said, on paper, his draw looks far more challenging, with Dave Chisnall, Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson all clustered in that section.
I just feel that this is the time of year that 'Bully Boy' will be relishing, with so many big televised tournaments on the horizon. He will want to make a statement here.
He is one of the very best players on the planet when he is right at it, and if he can get near that level this weekend, then he will prove to be a major threat.
There are so many players with outrageous scoring power nowadays, and more often than not, it's a player who reaches the final who goes on to record the highest number of tournament maximums.
I'm backing Luke Littler to lift the trophy on Sunday night, and, as a consequence of that, I have to back him in this market too.
We've all seen over the past nine or ten months how proficient 'The Nuke' is on that treble 20 bed. When he finds that rhythm, it's more a surprise not to see him land a 180.
He hit 23 of them in his four matches last weekend (in just 34 legs at the Czech Open) which, by anyone's standards, is astonishing.