Defending champions Spain and 1968 winners Italy will clash in Group C of Euro 2012 after the draw for next year's finals in Poland and the Ukraine was made here on Friday.

The Republic of Ireland and Croatia make up the pool, with the top two sides progressing to the quarter-finals.

England were drawn in Group D with co-hosts Ukraine, Sweden and two-time winners France.

"It's not easy," said England coach Fabio Capello.

"Obviously the most difficult match is against France. We lost to them at Wembley (in a friendly last year) and they're very good.

"I have faith in my team and my players. They're all young, I think they can give a lot."

Giants in Group B

In a mouth-watering Group B, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Portugal were all drawn together, while co-hosts Poland will face Greece, Russia and the Czech Republic in Group A.

World and European champions Spain will tackle Italy in their opening group game in the Polish city of Gdansk on June 10.

Vicente del Bosque's side overcame the Italians on their way to victory at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, with Cesc Fabregas netting the winning penalty in a quarter-final shoot-out following a 0-0 draw.

Del Bosque said he would love to see Spain tackle Germany - who they beat in the 2008 final - in the title match again.

"That is something that would be great and I hope it does happen - it would be a fantastic final," he told Cuatro television.

Group B appears to be the most finely balanced on paper.

Portugal and the Netherlands famously shared an ill-tempered last-16 match at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, which Portugal won 1-0 in a game that featured a record 16 yellow cards and four dismissals.

"It's a difficult draw but a great draw," Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder told Dutch television channel NOS.

"We know our three opponents very well. If we manage to beat them and get out of the group, we'll be well placed to win the tournament. I'm confident."

Ireland's Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni had hoped to avoid his home country.

"Italy were the one team we wanted to avoid for many reasons. They're mentally strong and obviously I know them well," said Trapattoni.

"Given where we are in the world rankings, being drawn against Italy and Spain, we know it's tough but we just have to play them."

Denmark, champions in 1992, last crossed swords with Portugal in qualifying, with their 2-1 victory in Copenhagen in October obliging Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates to qualify through the play-offs.

The opening Group D clash between England and France at Donetsk's Donbass Arena on June 11 will probably go a long way towards determining which side finishes top of their pool.

The teams previously met in their opening group match at Euro 2004, when two late strikes from Zinedine Zidane gave France a 2-1 victory after Frank Lampard had headed England in front.

"England are one of the biggest nations in football," France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris told Tele Lyon Metropole.

"They'll start as favourites in the group... Behind England, the Ukraine, Sweden and France will fight for second place."

The tournament kicks off on June 8, when Poland will take on 2004 champions Greece at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with the final taking place at Kiev's Olympic Stadium on July 1.

Earlier in the day, organisers insisted the tournament would be a huge success despite concerns about a lack of hotel rooms and inadequate infrastructure.

"Euro 2012 will be a resounding success, a milestone in the history of European football," declared UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino at a press conference at the Olympic Stadium.

"Airports, roads, train stations and hotels have been developed or built from scratch. Poland and the Ukraine are ready to cope with a massive influx of tourists next summer. Work that normally takes 20 years has been done in a few years."

After repeated delays and spiralling costs, the Ukraine has now opened the stadiums in their four host cities.

The Olympic Stadium is the most expensive jewel in the tournament's crown - at a cost of more than $550 million - with completely new venues in Lviv and Donetsk to go with the refurbished stadium in Kharkiv.

The groups

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic

Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal

Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia

Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England