Slovenia head into their Euro 2024 match against Serbia in confident mood after their late equaliser against Denmark, but are braced for quality opponents who deserved more from their opening game, coach Matjaz Kek said on Wednesday.
The former Yugoslav states meet in Munich on Thursday in their second game of Group C, where Serbia sit bottom of the standings behind Denmark and Slovenia on one point each, behind England on three.
"Serbia, after having watched the second half of their match, deserved more from the match against England. After every match you lose you try to find a way to get those points and to plan for the next round," Kek said.
England beat Serbia 1-0 but endured a nervy second half.
"Slovenia were not a favourite in this group. They still aren't, although we played very well against Denmark in the second half. But this momentum will have to be carried on into tomorrow's match," Kek said.
"I know it will be a very high hurdle and a great challenge."
The timing of the match with a kickoff of 1300 GMT is less than ideal, Kek said, with temperatures expected to soar to 27 degrees Celsius in Munich.
"Eleven players will not be enough because of the high tempo, because of the aggressiveness," he said.
"The one who will be braver, who will believe in their abilities more will have more chances to win the match. We will try to do this in our own way."
Slovenia are participating in their second European Championship, 24 years after their first. Serbia are playing in the tournament for the first time as an independent nation.
"I want my team to have respect for the opponent. We are aware of the quality of the Serbian team, of the quality of their manager," Kek said. "They haven't been at the Euros in a very long time."
Kek said the huge contingent of Slovenian fans would give the team a big confidence boost.
"I believe that this team will grow from minute to minute in such an atmosphere," he said.
Slovenia defender Petar Stojanovic said the team would have to keep their emotions in check.
"I think this will be a phenomenal match - on the pitch, off the pitch, on the stand, outside in the streets - emotions are running high," he said. "We as players have to hide those emotions. I hope we can show them after the match."
Kasper Schmeichel says Denmark are facing a better England side than the one that beat them in the Euros semi-finals three years ago - a galling loss that he insists provides no added motivation.
The Scandinavians are looking to kickstart their Euro 2024 campaign in Frankfurt having been pegged back by Slovenia as their Group C opener ended 1-1 on Sunday.
England will seal a place in the round of 16 if they beat Denmark, having defeated Serbia 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen where man-of-the-match Jude Bellingham's early header was the difference.
The Real Madrid star has become a key player since the nations last met in the Euro 2020 semi-finals and Schmeichel believes Gareth Southgate's men have reached new heights.
"I think England were a world-class side when we met them," the former Leicester goalkeeper said.
"They got to the final of a major championship, so they were definitely a world-class side when we met them.
"And I think when you look at some of the additions since and the experience they've gained now over time, I think they're probably a better side now than ever, at least in the time I've been playing them against them.
"You look at then, all over the pitch they have world-class talent, so they're a very good side and we're going to have to be on top of our game to beat them."
Denmark are hoping to avoid falling just short against England on Thursday, having lost 2-1 in extra-time when they last met under the Wembley arch in 2021.
They had taken the lead in the Euro 2020 semi-final through Mikkel Damsgaard's free-kick but Simon Kjaer's own goal took the match to extra-time, when Kane scored after Schmeichel saved his spot-kick.
There was a feeling of injustice in Denmark about the decision to award a penalty after Raheem Sterling went down but the long-serving Denmark goalkeeper says he has moved on.
"I'm not the type of person that is going to be looking back three years to a game and something that happened there to have motivation," Schmeichel said.
"I think the biggest motivating factor for myself is the fact we're playing another Euros with Denmark. That's certainly something we should never take for granted."
Italy go into their encounter with Spain hoping to play as elegantly as if they were dressed in their Giorgio Armani suits but they are ready to get themselves dirty if required, according to coach Luciano Spalletti.
"We wear Giorgio Armani and Giorgio Armani is known around the whole world," Spalletti told reporters on Wednesday when asked if the Group B game with Spain (live on RTÉ2/RTÉ Player) would test his ability to give Italy a new identity, less than a year into the job.
"We will wear the same suit, we will try to be the same. Of course we really want to play the game our way and to measure ourselves against one of strongest teams...We will be there, well dressed but ready to get our clothes dirty if needed."
Both sides won their opening Euro 2024 games, Spain cruising past Croatia 3-0 while Italy had to overcome the shock of conceding the fastest goal in the history of European Championship tournaments to beat Albania 2-1.
Italy are the defending European champions but they failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup - their second such failure in a row - and Spalletti is building a new-look side after his predecessor Roberto Mancini walked out to coach Saudi Arabia.
Spain under Luis de la Fuente are looking for revenge for their elimination by Italy at Euro 2020, the latest twist in a long European Championship history involving the two countries.
The outcome of contest in the Arena AufSchalke will be crucial in determining who comes top of what is considered the toughest group in this year's tournament, a position that will probably offer an easier tie in the first knockout round.
