Spain begin their mission to become the first nation to retain the European title when they take on Italy in Gdansk on Sunday. Vicente del Bosque's world champions have played the most eye-catching football in the world over the past four years and they will be fancied to beat an Italy side who arrived in Poland having lost three consecutive friendlies.

The two European heavyweights meet for a 26th time (17:00 BST) knowing the last time they clashed Italy ran out 2-1 winners in Bari in August.

Torres has fond memories of his clashes against Italy, scoring his first goal for the full international team in a friendly versus the Italians. Though as fate would have it, back in 2001, the Spanish number ‘9’ scored for his country against the Italians in European Under 16s Championship quarterfinal. The game ended 1-1, but Spain beat an Italian team in the resulting penalty shoot-out, as Spaniards do it again at the same stage of Euro 2008.

Italy's centurion goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said on the eve of the match that they were here to cause a surprise so Spain have been warned.

However the four-times world champions preparation has been dogged by poor results and another match-fixing scandal back home, making it unlikely that Italy will venture too far from their stubborn defensive formula.

In the other Group C match on Sunday underdogs Ireland face Croatia in Poznan (1845).



- Match preview by Eurosport