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Italy's soccer player Mario Balotelli warms up during a training session during the Euro 2012 at Cracovia Stadium in Krakow June 7, 2012.TONY GENTILE/Reuters

Though Italy quite rightly received its share of the plaudits for its role in the entertaining 1-1 draw with Spain last Sunday, it will mean very little if the Azzurri fall to Croatia Thursday in Poznan.

A loss will almost certainly end Italian interest in the tournament, propelling Croatia into the quarter-finals and leaving Cesare Prandelli's team relying on Ireland and/or the Croats to go out and beat Spain. Not all that likely in other words.

Still, given that the three-time world champions had lost their three previous matches entering Euro 2012, Sunday's performance will give them cause for optimism, although there are still points of concern. Can forwards Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano frustrate the opposition as much as their own coach? Will Daniele De Rossi perform equally as well in the defensive role he embraced against Spain against Croatia, particularly against in-form strikers such as Mario Mandzukic and Nikica Jelavic?

"This is a game where we need high concentration and to look after the small details as it could be a very even affair," Prandelli said. "We need to read the game well. We've got to go and dictate our game – and do so with the most determination possible."

The two who may have the biggest say in what transpires on the pitch are likely to be Italy's Andrea Pirlo and Croatia's Luka Modric. It was Pirlo who threaded the superb through-ball for Antonio di Natale to open the scoring against Spain, while Modric is undoubtedly the talisman that makes Croatia tick, facts that are not lost on Croat coach Slaven Bilic.

"If they play well, then their team plays well," he said.

Bilic, a former player who has on-field experience of encountering the Azzurri of old, will be all too aware that his side enters the game with a five-game unbeaten run against Italy, including a victory the only other time the two sides met in a tournament finals, at the 2002 World Cup. But Bilic is not about to get caught up in the past.

"It doesn't mean anything for this match," he said. "[The current team] play in a different way to the Italy of the past. It looks good on paper but doesn't mean a lot. We aren't thinking about that – we have to have faith in how strong we are."

Italy player to watch: Mario Balotelli

After blowing the most gilt-edged opportunity in the last match against Spain - a chance he created with his own hustle, it must be stated - the pressure will be on the Manchester City frontman to show his more clinical side this time out. Italy has only scored once in its last four games, and with substitutes like Di Natale, who came off the bench to score in the last match against Spain, breathing down his neck, drawing another blank may force Prandelli to rethink his striking options for the next game against Ireland.

Croatia player to watch: Mario Mandzukic

After exploding onto the scene against Ireland in the last game, more will be expected from the Wolfsburg striker this time, especially in his burgeoning partnership with Everton's Jelavic. How well he fares against the stiffer backline of the Azzurri will go a long way to determining the outcome of this game.

Did you know?

Italy manager Cesare Prandelli is unbeaten in competitive internationals, recording eight wins and three draws to date.

Prediction

Italy 2-1 Croatia

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