( CNN ) -- Spain 's world champions will begin the defense of their European title against fellow football superpowers Italy next June , after both were drawn in Group C on Friday . That match in Gdansk will be the feature clash of the third day of the Euro 2012 finals , while the Republic of Ireland will take on Croatia in the other opening Group C fixture in Poznan . `` It is a difficult draw . The 16 strongest teams are in this tournament so whatever team we came up against would have presented problems , '' Spain coach Vicente del Bosque told UEFA 's website . Relive the draw as it happened . `` Given the circumstances , it is good that we will play our three games in Poland and we will not face Germany . Along with Italy we have a squad with pedigree , and the two teams that came through the playoff , Ireland and Croatia , did so with little difficulty . It will be a competitive group . '' Italy coach Cesare Prandelli will come up against his mentor Giovanni Trapattoni in Poznan on June 18 in the four-time world champions ' final group game against the Irish . `` We wanted to avoid a game against Trapattoni 's Ireland for various reasons . I met him today and he is very good at cooling down every situation , '' Prandelli said of the 72-year-old , who coached Italy from 2000-2004 . Co-hosts Poland will launch the 16-team tournament on June 8 against 2004 champions Greece in Warsaw , it was confirmed in Kiev on Friday . Russia , the 2018 World Cup hosts , face the Czech Republic in the other Group A game in Wroclaw that day . The Netherlands , beaten by Spain in the 2010 World Cup final , will play Euro '92 winners Denmark in the opening Group B match in Kharkiv on June 9 . Germany , the 2008 runners-up , will begin their bid for a fourth title against 2004 finalists Portugal that day in Lviv . `` It is probably the strongest , most interesting and most balanced group of them all , '' said Germany coach Joachim Low . `` Every team has strong players and even some world-class players , so we can look forward to some great matches . `` Denmark are very difficult to play at tournaments because they are well organized and go into the matches without fear . They fit well into the underdog role , have no fear and because they have a great mentality , they are so dangerous to play . '' Ukraine , given a top seeding like their co-hosts , also escaped with a relatively good draw in Group D along with England , France and Sweden . France , the 2000 champions , face cross-channel rivals England on June 11 in Donetsk , while Sweden will have a difficult opening test in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev . `` It is an exciting group , '' Sweden coach Erik Hamren said . `` I was hoping to avoid Spain and Germany , and perhaps get an easier team . I am pleased . `` Whichever group we would have landed in , we would have been underdogs because we are among the lowest-ranked teams . ''
Co - hosts Poland play 2004 winners Greece in opening game of Euro 2016 . Defending champions Spain take on Italy in Group C opener on June 6 . Group B features the Netherlands , Spain , Italy and Portugal . Co - hosts Ukraine in Group D with France , England and Sweden .