UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Nations primed for Porto draw

The eight countries who will contest the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal are set to learn their fate at today's draw in Porto.

Memorable finals
Hosts Portugal, who staged such a memorable UEFA European Championship two years ago, are joined by 2004 winners Italy, runners-up Serbia and Montenegro, and a Germany side who failed to negotiate the group stage on home soil two years ago. Returning to the continent's premier youth competition are Denmark, France and the Netherlands - venue for the finals next summer when the U21 event reverts to being a biennial tournament played in odd years - while Ukraine have qualified for the first time since independence.

Top seeds
As ever, Italy will be the team to beat when the action unfolds at six venues - Agueda, Aveiro, Barcelos, Braga, Guimaraes and Porto - between Tuesday 23 May and Sunday 4 June, when the victorious captain will lift the trophy at the Estádio do Bessa Século XXI, home of Boavista FC. The Azzurrini have won five of the last seven editions and, accordingly, are seeded first in the draw. Portugal, as the other top seeds, will avoid an early meeting with the holders.

Ukrainian great
Denmark and Germany will also be kept apart as they have the best coefficients from qualifying, leaving 1998 winners France, Serbia and Montenegro, Netherlands and Ukraine to complete the two four-nation pools. Ukraine, coached by one of their country's most esteemed players, Olexiy Mykhaylychenko, have never competed at this level, yet there was a strong Ukrainian presence in the Soviet squads that reigned supreme in 1980 and 1990.

Early arrival
The Serbians were among the first delegations to arrive in Porto on Tuesday afternoon, leaving coach Dragomir Okuka plenty of time to consider what lies in store for his side. "I don't like to say much before a draw as what you wish is one thing and reality is another," he told uefa.com. "However, it's always difficult to play against the host nation so maybe it's better if we draw Italy out of the top seeds."

Confident France
France coach René Girard - a member of Les Bleus' squad at the 1982 FIFA World Cup, won by an Azzurri team featuring current Italy U21 coach Claudio Gentile - concurred. "The fact we're not seeded will not change much for us," he said. "All seven potential opponents are at a very high level although I would like to avoid Portugal in the first round, bearing in mind our record against them and that they are hosts. However, I think my side has what it takes to reach the top."

Legend
One man who made it to the very top, Portuguese legend Eusébio, will help conduct the draw in tandem with UEFA National Teams Committee chairman Lars-Åke Lagrell at the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto. You can watch the draw live on uefa.com, with reaction from all eight coaches following the conclusion of proceedings along with a finalised match schedule.

Selected for you