Who will advance from Group C?

The 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists meet again as do Romania and Netherlands sides with high ambitions of their own. France kick off against Romania in Zurich while Italy take on the Netherlands in Berne. Something has to give in the toughest of sections. Who will come out on top?

France The mood in the French camp has been one of cautious optimism this week. Les Bleus travelled to Zurich in good spirits ahead of Monday's game with Romania but with doubts hanging over the fitness of two influential players. Captain Patrick Vieira only returned to training on Thursday after a thigh injury and has been ruled out of the opening match by coach Raymond Domenech, while Thierry Henry is nursing a minor knock. Much will be expected of Olympique Lyonnais duo Karim Benzema, who will start in attack alongside Henry or Nicolas Anelka, and Jérémy Toulalan, the man poised to step into Vieira's boots.

Romania Having utilised 39 players in qualification, Romania coach Victor Piţurcă is clearly a man who likes to shuffle his pack. He says he has 13 or 14 players who can play from the first minute against France and will make his final selection on the day of the match. However, Piţurcă has hinted captain Cristian Chivu is likely to continue in midfield as the Tricolorii go in search of a result that would allow the outsiders to dream of progressing from the hardest group of all.

Italy Italy's defensive concerns looked to have deepened on Friday when Christian Panucci pulled up in training, but he was in ebullient mood the following day, insisting his knee knock would not keep him from the challenge of marking Arjen Robben. The Netherlands forward's subsequent groin injury will have come as a boost to the Azzurri, whose reshuffled defence, in the absence of Fabio Cannavaro, looks likely to include a largely untried partnership of Marco Materazzi and Andrea Barzagli. The Italy camp, though, is serene; with an assuredness borne of World Cup winners they will be confident of scoring against a brittle Dutch rearguard.

Netherlands Coach Marco van Basten is not expected to reveal his lineup until just before the match, saying that other than Edwin van der Sar and Ruud van Nistelrooy all his options are open. Robben was another certain starter until picking up his groin injury, so the puzzle is even more complicated now. Van Basten might risk Robin van Persie, newly returned from injury, while Ibrahim Afellay and Dirk Kuyt are also candidates. Demy de Zeeuw faces competition from Nigel de Jong for the holding role, and John Heitinga could even step forward into midfield. If Mario Melchiot is fit to play at right-back, André Ooijer could move into the centre. Much for the coach to ponder ahead of such a crucial game.