Del Bosque warns of Italian threat in Euro 2012

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　　Spain travel to the competition, which will be held in Poland and the Ukraine as defending European and world champions and with a 100 percent record from qualifying², but will have to face Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Croatia in a complicated³ Group stage.

　　Reflecting on the luck of the draw for the website of sports paper, diario Marca afterwards, Del Bosque warned that Spain would have to work hard to reach the knockout stages.

　　"It is going to be difficult, there are 16 strong rivals⁴ in the competition and each of them has their own particular difficulty," said Del Bosque, who admitted he was pleased Spain had missed being drawn⁵ against the powerful German side.

　　"We have to face a powerful side in Italy and two other rivals who have come from the playoff. We will be prepared and we have to think about our own game," he said.

　　Del Bosque has memories of Spain's recent defeat 2-1 to Italy in a friendly match.

　　"You never know what is going to happen in football, but it is a fact that we lost to them not long ago and they are a strong side," he said, before valuing the possibility of a Spain vs. Germany final.

　　"It's not a bad hypothesis⁶ and I hope that it happens, because it would be a fantastic final," said Del Bosque.

　　Spain's first game is against Italy on June 10th, before they move on to play the Irish four days later and finally Croatia on June 18th.

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