New Delhi: Action begins in 'The Group of Death' on Monday night with Romania playing World Cup runners-up France and the Netherlands taking on World Cup winners Italy.
And while Italy and the Netherlands have been struggling with injuries, France will have to guard against complacency when they take on Romania in the first match of the first Group C.
Italy lost their captain Fabio Cannavaro to an ankle injury a week ago and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is expected to captain the side against the Netherlands at Berne.
While Cannavaro's decision to remain with the team and cheer his teammates should boost Italy's morale, the Netherlands will have to do without Arjen Robben for their opening match.
But with the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie and Dirk Kuyt in his line-up, Marco van Basten's team will enter the match as favourites despite their failure to beat Italy even once in the past 30 years.
"I think that in the Dutch team as much as in the Italian there are 23 great players of the highest level. The best level that coach (Marco) van Basten can get together. The absence of Robben will be replaced with other player who will be stimulated to achieve Robben's great quality," Italian coach Roberto Donadoni said.
At Zurich, 12 years after France beat Romania 1-0l to make a winning start to Euro 96, the two nations meet again.
Although the French will undoubtedly start the match as favourites, their opponents topped Group G in the qualifying campaign with only one defeat in 12 matches.
Clearly, France captain Lilian Thuram won't take them lightly.
"Going to such a difficult competition, we have doubts. Romania are a great team that has had great results and, of course, there is a fear of losing. That is a good thing," Thuram cautioned.
And with matches against the Netherlands and Italy coming up later in the group stage, Raymond Domenech and his boys know, a winning start would be vital in 'The Group of Death'.
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