France unconcerned by draw

"There are only outsiders in this group," Domenech said. "There are teams that are going to fight for every point. You'll never hear me say that Italy and us are the favourites. Everyone has a chance.

"You can't compare the groups, saying one is stronger than another," he continued. "We supposedly had a weak World Cup group, but Switzerland beat a team in the playoffs that was from a group thought to be stronger than ours.

Italy boss Marcelo Lippi was pleased with the draw, which also sees Scotland, Lithuania, Georgia and the Faroe Islands completing the Group of Death, but refused to think about anything other than next summer's World Cup in Germany.

"It's a good group and will be hard-fought," Lippi told Italian News Agency ANSA.

"But at the moment I find it difficult to think of anything apart from the World Cup."

Scotland boss Walter Smith was cursing his side's luck at having been drawn with three World Cup teams, as only the top two from each group will progress to the finals in Austria and Switzerland in two years time.

"We've been a little bit unfortunate," the Scotsman understated. "There are two of the top teams in Europe in France and Italy.

"Maybe the top teams will take points off each other, and that could help us, but it will take exceptional performances from us to qualify."

European champions Greece were pulled out of the hat in the same group as arch rivals Turkey, in a match-up that will have Greeks and Turks all over the world licking their lips in anticipation.

The two sides met in the same group in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, although neither side managed to progress to the Finals.

"There is always a lot of emotion, but both matches were 0-0 and both were fair and clean," Greece coach 'King' Otto Rehhagel said.

"The draw is not easy, but there are no teams that have qualified for the next World Cup and so I think our chances are good. We fear none of the teams," he added.

Two Scandinavian heavyweights of European football, Sweden and Denmark were drawn together in Group F along with perennial underachievers Spain in a tough-looking group.

"It's a tough group," Sweden boss Lars Lagerback said. "We have got two teams that are ahead of us in the FIFA rankings.

"All the teams are interesting. But it's always good to face one of the big guns so I'm looking forward to the Spain games. And against Denmark, there'll be a lot of emotion.

"If we look at the results of the national team over the last eight or ten years, they've been pretty good. It's always positive [that Sweden were in the top pot].

"I think it's good for the mental part of the game. Our goal is to qualify - the margins are very small, but that's our goal."

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas did not think the draw held any real surprises for his side.

"It is a pretty average draw for us and there are certainly some more difficult groups," Casillas said.

"Given that two teams qualify we should be there at Euro 2008, but we will not be able to relax as the away games against both Denmark and Sweden will be very tough."

Initial reactions to the draw from World Cup hosts Germany were cautious, as they were drawn in Group D with the Czech Republic, who they defeated in the 1996 final.

"Obviously, Germany and the Czech Republic are favourites, to go through from this group, there's no question about that," said goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.

"But the way to Austria and Switzerland is not going to be all that easy. Wales, Ireland and Slovakia are awkward opponents and we'll have everything to lose against them."

Czech striker Milan Baros showed a degree of confidence, but at the same time the Aston Villa player was aware the group would not be an easy one to qualify from.

"We will be the favourites because we are in a position where the other teams have to be scared of us and not vice-versa," he said.

"But on the other hand, it's true that the group is fairly tight and the task ahead is not an easy one.

Strike partner Jan Koller said: "Five teams could be in the battle to qualify. The Germans as well as the Slovaks, who have made important progress recently, will be strong. And the same for the Republic of Ireland and Wales, especially when they're playing at home."

Netherlands coach Marco Van Basten was 'satisfied with his side's grouping with Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia.

"Romania we have just played in World Cup qualifying. They are getting stronger and better so we have to be careful.

"Bulgaria are a good team. They didn't qualify for the World Cup but they played Sweden and Croatia - who I think are very good teams. Slovenia are always very good technically, so we have to be very careful and have to start very well prepared and focussed or we could have problems.

Soon-to-be-departing England coach Sven-Göran Eriksson was certain that his side's grouping with Russia and Croatia would please his successor.

"Whoever it is will be happy with it (the draw)," he said. "There are more difficult groups than our own. I think that they will progress fairly easily.