Respect abounds in 'group of champions'

Spain coach Ginés Meléndez described his team's UEFA European Under-17 Championship section as "the group of champions". Small wonder as all four teams kicking off Group A in Liechtenstein on Tuesday have won the title.

Spain lifted the trophy in both 2007 and 2008 but, having departed last year's tournament in the group stage following three goalless draws, face a tough opener in Vaduz on Tuesday. France have twice met Spain in the U17 decider, losing in 2008 having won four years previously, but enter these finals in the unique position of qualifying as best runners-up due to the host nation withdrawing their team.

"In this group we're not favourites, but we have a lot of ability so we hope to go to the semi-finals, and then anything can happen," said France coach Guy Ferrier. "We're playing three very difficult teams. [First] it will be Spain, who have the best youth setup. But we are lucky because we have almost all our players with us. After training the players were very confident."

Meléndez, whose side drew 0-0 three times in last year's finals, including against France, was equally complimentary. "We should have a lot of respect for our opponents," he said. "We know in this group that all three of our opponents are very difficult ones. Our objective is a great tournament and if we win, even better. What is more important is not to win, but to develop the players and help them into the [senior] national team."

While preparations for Meléndez, whose team attended a training camp in Madrid before heading east, may have been "very good", Switzerland's Heinz Moser has had some headaches. Already without the suspended defender Arlind Ajeti and top scorer Stjepan Vuleta for the match against Portugal in Eschen-Mauren, he is now also missing the injured trio of forward Andelko Savic, midfielder Darko Jevtic and captain Sead Hajrovic, a veteran of their 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup win.

Savic's place is taken by Endogan Adili, who became the youngest scorer in Swiss Super League history when he struck on his Grasshopper-Club debut on Thursday aged 15 years and 283 days. "I fully trust in all the players I have available for the tournament," said a defiant Moser. "Our mission is to win this tournament."

Portugal coach Rui Bento is equally loathe to write off the nation that took their debut world title in Nigeria in the autumn. "Being first in such an important event always builds the confidence of your team," Bento said. "The first match in this kind of competition is always very important – it can be decisive. We expect to play a strong and organised team. We respect the Swiss team a lot."