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LISBON, June 13: Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni expects Monday's Group 'C' opener against Denmark to be a fusion of football styles rather than a culture clash.
The Italians, known for tight defence and short passing, have successfully introduced a swifter approach under the 64-year-old, while he says Denmark have more than just the typical Scandinavian attributes of hard work and long balls.
Indeed four of the likely Danish starting line-up have experience of Italy's Serie A with Inter Milan's Thomas Helveg at right back, Udinese's Martin Jorgensen in midfield and AC Milan forward Jon Dahl Tomasson up front as well as former Milan and Verona defender Martin Laursen.
Italy start as favourites for the opener after finishing runners-up four years ago in Belgium and the Netherlands when they were unbeaten in normal time throughout the tournament before falling to a French 'golden goal' in the final.
The Azzurri, World Cup winners in 1982, won the European championship on home soil in 1968 but the Danes have more recent memories of success, having triumphed against all expectations in 1992.
Italy are notoriously slow starters in tournaments, often letting high expectations unnerve them. Those psychological weaknesses, evident in Italy's early exit from the World Cup at the hands of South Korea two years ago, give Helveg hope of a surprise result.
Trapattoni's starting line-up has been virtually settled for weeks with Argentine-born Mauro Camoranesi expected to start on the right flank with Alessandro Del Piero on the left and Francesco Totti playing behind target-man Christian Vieri. Denmark will be missing experienced duo Thomas Gravesen and Jesper Gronkjaer.
SWDEN v BULGARIA
PORTO: Sweden's hopes of advancing from an awkward Group 'C' depend on a winning start against Bulgaria and Henrik Larsson is just the man to deliver victory. With theoretically tougher fixtures against Denmark and Italy to come, the Swedes will expect to beat a team they have had few problems with in the last 30 years.
Sweden have an impressive seven wins and two draws from the past nine meetings and Bulgaria have to go back to 1967 for their last success. As if that was not enough to tilt the odds in favour of the Scandinavians in Lisbon, they have the considerable boost of the return of prodigious striker Larsson.
The record-breaking forward, who left Celtic to find a new challenge at the end of the season, has changed his mind about playing for his country after retiring two years ago and marked his return with a goal in last week's 3-1 win over Poland.
His partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic gives Sweden a real cutting edge and Bulgaria's sometimes shaky defence will be in for a stiff test. Bulgaria's hopes depend heavily on striker Dimitar Berbatov putting away the few chances he is likely to get but the likes of Larsson's Celtic team mate Stilian Petrov might have to be more concerned with defending than setting up attacks.
The Swedes have plenty of creativity in midfield, with Rennes youngster Kim Kallstrom nicely complemented by Arsenal's hard running Freddie Ljungberg. -Reuters
