Greece are confident

Greece v Spain Bessa - Porto, 5.0Surprise packet Greece believe they can stage another giant-killing act when facing Spain in Porto tonight. The unconsidered Greeks are buoyed not only by that 2-1 opening match win against hosts Portugal on Saturday but are also aware a 1-0 away win against Spain during the qualifying round saw them top the Group and sent Spain into the play-offs.

Greek striker Themistoklis Nikolaidis, who plays his club soccer with Atletico Madrid, is convinced his side can win, telling reporters yesterday: "Spain might have better players than us and they are a better team but they will have to prove it on the pitch".

Their German coach, Otto Rehhagel, pronounced as the game as "the most important in the history of Greek football".

The Spanish overcame their habitually slow tournament start to defeat Russia 1-0 on Saturday. While Rehhagel seems likely to stick with the side that beat Portugal, his opposite number Inaki Saez is under pressure to find space in his starting line-up for Deportivo La Coruna midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron, scorer of Spain's winning goal against Russia after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Saez faces a tricky dilemma since Exteberria on the right and Vicente on the left both did well against Russia. In truth, if Saez wants to find room for Valeron, he might have to do the unthinkable, drop either in-form Monaco striker Morientes or the icon himself, Raul.

PROBABLE TEAMS: GREECE: Nikopolidis; Seitardis, Dellas, Kapsis, Fyssas; Babinas, Zagorakis; Karagounis, Vryzas, Giannakopolos; Charisteas

SPAIN: Casillas; Puyol, Helguerra, Marchena, Raul Bravo; Albelda, Baraja; Exteberria, Raul, Vicente; Morientes.