Champions look invincible in `Group of Death’

A Danish victory would be a major upset against a French side which rivals the Michel Platini-inspired team of the 1980s as the greatest in the country’s history.

“Our biggest problem is that we are clear favourites,” says midfielder Youri Djorkaeff. “After winning the World Cup everyone wants to beat us. It is an extra motivation for all our opponents.”

It is hard to see a weakness in the French line-up which is likely to feature eight of the players that powered Les Bleus to a 3-0 win over Brazil in the final of France 98.

In Fabien Barthez they have a goalkeeper many regard as the best in the world while Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu and Laurent Blanc make up a highly experienced and formidable rearguard.

Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest players of his generation, will be the creative fulcrum in a midfield alongside three from Emmanuel Petit, Didier Deschamps, Djorkaeff, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires.

France had a major problem with their attack at France 98 – they did not have a truly world-class striker in their squad.

Two years later, they still have a problem, but it is a problem that most coaches at Euro 2000 would gladly welcome – they are spoilt for choice.

Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry, both in devastating form by the end of the club season, are likely to be given the nod ahead of David Trezeguet and Sylvain Wiltord although coach Roger Lemerre could be tempted to play just one striker with Zidane in the hole and an extra man in midfield.

“We have never had such great potential in attack as we do now,” says captain Deschamps. “We now have strikers who can win a match with one moment of fabulous skill.”

Anelka has found his form at the end of a troubled season at Real Madrid and many, including his team-mate Thuram, believe the former Arsenal striker is poised to make a huge impact at Euro 2000.

“I believe Nicolas will be the star of the tournament,” says Thuram. “On current form he is one of the best strikers around at the moment and I think he will start to fulfill his huge potential.”

France, winners of the tournament on home soil in 1984, bristle with individual talent but one of their greatest assets is their teamwork.

“We enjoy the advantage over most of our opponents of having played together for several years now,” says Thuram. “There is a great understanding between the players that other teams can only dream of.”

However, Denmark will draw hope from the World champions’ curiously inconsistent form in the qualifiers. They beat Russia in Moscow but lost to them in Paris, drew in Iceland and made heavy weather of beating Andorra and Armenia.

That unpredictable quality was again in evidence in the recent King Hassan Cup in Morocco. France looked ordinary when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Japan before beating them on penalties but were awesome in a 5-1 demolition of the host nation in their final warm-up game.

Denmark, though, have much more pressing concerns on the mind with a long list of injuries having hampered their preparations.

The defence has been hardest hit with Thomas Helveg, Jes Hogh and Michael Schjoenberg all struggling to shake off knocks but the probable absence of forward Martin Jorgensen would also be a major blow.

All 22 Danish players did train on Friday for the first time, but doubts still surrounded Jorgensen, Hogh and Brian Steen Nielson.