DURBAN, November 25 (World Cup) - Italy will open their World Cup defence in a qualifying group which includes fledgling nation Montenegro - and while coach Roberto Donadoni claims none of the Azzurri's opponents have a great footballing tradition he insists they are all "difficult teams".
Montenegro are competing in their first official competition since seceding from Serbia & Montenegro after the last World Cup.
The world champions also face Georgia who they defeated home and away in their successful qualifying campaign for Euro 2008, while Bulgaria, the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus make up the rest of Group Eight.
"Bulgaria, Ireland, Georgia and Montenegro are nations that don't have a great football tradition but they are still difficult teams," said Donadoni.
"Bulgaria is probably the main contender for us in this group. Montenegro, as with all of the former Yugoslavia nations, are difficult opponents. And let's not even talk about Ireland.
"We already know Georgia, having faced them in the Euro 2008 qualifier."
World Cup runners-up France are set for rematches against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania after beating both nations home and away in qualifying for next summer's European Championships.
But Les Bleus struggled in Lithuania before emerging 1-0 victors and coach Raymond Domenech remained ambivalent about the draw which also pitches his side against Austria, Serbia and Romania.
"I am nether happy nor disappointed, neutral to sum it up," he said in remarks on the www.fff.fr website.
"We will be playing Romania and Austria who will both play in Euro 2008. We will have to beat these teams and that will not be easy.
"During Euro 2008 qualifying we saw that going to Lithuania is not easy.
"We also have to go to Serbia, a team that played (as Serbia & Montenegro) in the 2006 World Cup but I don't want to compare 2006 to 2010. We will need to study the team, watch their matches and do our calculations on that to progress."
Elsewhere, England get an early chance for revenge for their Euro 2008 qualification elimination by Croatia.
The Croats are top seeds in Group Six with England seeded second and coach Slaven Bilic admitted they were the team he least wanted to be paired with.
He said: "I was saying 'Oh no!'
"Everyone in Croatia was saying 'give us England again' but I wanted to avoid England.
"It is a very, very hard draw because they are by far the best team from the second pot.
"The only team I wanted to avoid was England. We are not afraid of them but they have got a terrific team and brilliant players. They should gel and they are going to gel."
Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra are also in that pool, with Bilic adding that, in his opinion, it is this year's group of death.
"It's not only England but we have the Ukraine too - that's a couple of teams who were in the quarter-finals of the last World Cup and both didn't qualify for Euro 2008.
"They will do anything to get to the World Cup in 2010. It's the most difficult group to be honest."
Sweden and Denmark, who squared up to each other in Euro 2008 qualifying with the former taking four points off their Scandinavian rivals, are also paired again.
And face tough competition from Portugal in a group also featuring Hungary, Malta and Albania.
Spain's main threat would appear to be Turkey although Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Estonia and Armenia are also drawn in their pool.
But Atletico Madrid defender Pablo Ibanez knows there will be no excuses if his side do not qualify.
"We are the favourites to qualify," he told www.marca.com. "Even though Turkey are difficult rivals, the same as Belgium.
"I don't know much about the others but in football nowadays everyone can beat you.
"We know that the World Cup is the best competition to play in and we have to give it our all and strive to qualify."
Three-time winners Germany face tough opposition from Guus Hiddink's Russia, Finland, Wales, Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan.
European champions Greece have been pitted against Switzerland, Israel, Moldova, Luxembourg and Latvia.
Czech Republic and Poland will be expected to contest top spot in a pool also featuring Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino.
While Group Nine - the only pool to contain just five sides - consists of Holland, Scotland, Norway, FYR Macedonia and Iceland.
Germany face tough opposition from Guus Hiddink's Russia, Finland, Wales, Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan.
Spain's main threat would appear to be Turkey although Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Estonia and Armenia are also drawn in their pool.
Holland will do battle with Scotland, Norway, FYR Macedonia and Iceland in Group Nine.
Scandinavian rivals Sweden and Denmark are paired again but face tough competition from Portugal in a group also featuring Hungary, Malta and Albania.
European champions Greece face Switzerland, Israel, Moldova, Luxembourg and Latvia.
Czech Republic and Poland will be expected to contest top spot in a pool also featuring Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino.
