Denmark are optimistically brimming with confidence for their do-or-die European Group One qualifier against Italy today.
Even though Italy arrive with a 100 per cent record after two wins in their opening two qualifiers and Denmark have yet to win in three matches, the Danes believe they can win the game.
And two Italian-based players, midfielders Thomas Helveg of AC Milan and Martin Joergensen of Udinese, are convinced Denmark can hold their own, providing they don't give the Italians too much space.
"We have to put pressure on them and we need to frustrate them," said Helveg, whose club mate Paolo Maldini will captain Italy.
Denmark coach Bo Johansson is also taking heart from his team's 1-0 win over Croatia in a friendly earlier this year and is also pleased with the recent scoring form displayed by young Ajax Amsterdam striker Jesper Groenkjaer and Brondby's Ebbe Sand.
Uncapped Groenkjaer (21), has found the net five times in his past four matches with Ajax. Sand scored the winner against Croatia and also scored last Monday for Brondby. Tottenham midfielder Allan Nielsen is another player on a personal high after heading the last minute winner that gave Spurs a 1-0 win over Leicester City in the English League Cup Final last Sunday, while Chelsea's Bjarne Goldbaek as well as Duisburg's Stig Toefting have hit top form for their clubs this spring.
"Denmark have a good team. I have no doubt that it will be difficult for us," Italian coach Dino Zoff said.
His task is not made easier by the absence of Lazio striker Christian Vieri with a broken toe. Regular first-choice goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi is also injured.
In Group Four World champions France will be looking to prise open a tight Ukraine defence without their key creative force Zinedine Zidane, who is injured, at the Stade de France today.
France must beat the Ukrainians, who have won all three qualifiers, to take over as group leaders after being held to a draw in Iceland in September.
A defeat would leave the French five points adrift.
"We must absolutely avoid the point of no return as far as this first place (in the group) goes," coach Roger Lemerre said.
The French are well aware that Ukraine have talented strikers in Dynamo Kiev's Andrij Shevchencko and Serhij Rebrov but that their opponents' main strength lies in their defence.
Lemerre said: "They play with all the rigour of the Kiev school. In fact, this team is nine players plus two . . . nine players at the back who leave nothing to chance."
It is undoubtedly France's toughest match since they beat Brazil 3-0 in the World Cup final. But they are confident they can overcome the absence of Zidane who scored their first two goals against the Brazilians.
"We have managed to beat the Brazilians, then the English at their own game," Petit said. "We've shown we know how to adapt."
Lemerre is keeping his hand hidden as to who will stand in for Zidane and will not name his team until just before kick-off.
PROBABLE TEAMS
DENMARK: P Schmeichel; J Heintze, J Hoegh, R Henriksen, S Colding; M Joergensen, A Nielsen, T Helveg, B Goldbaek; J Groenkjaer, E Sand.
ITALY: G Buffon; C Panucci, M Juliano, A Nesta, P Maldini; D Baggio, E Di Francesco, A Conte, L Di Biagio; F Totti, R Baggio.
FRANCE: F Barthez; L Thuram, M Desailly, L Blanc, B Lizarazu; D Deschamps, E Petit; R Pires, Y Djorkaeff; N Anelka, C Dugarry.
UKRAINE: O Shovkovsky; O Luzhny, O Golovko, V Vashchuk, V Mykitin; S Popov, S Kovalyov, A Gusin, V Kosovsky; A Shevchenko, S Rebrov or S Skachenko.
