WARSAW: Spain were yesterday expected to arrive in Poland to defend their European title, as under-pressure Italy were welcomed by chanting schoolchildren and challengers Germany sought to stake their claim on the trophy.

Vicente Del Bosque’s side made up largely of Real Madrid “Galacticos” and Barcelona stars are aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back titles and were due to arrive in the Baltic port city of Gdansk yesterday evening.

The tournament favorites and world champions take on Italy on Sunday.

Italy, rocked by fresh match-fixing claims that even included a police search of the team hotel and the arrest of several Serie A players, arrived in the southern city of Krakow on a charter flight from Pisa.

Hundreds of children were there to greet the Azzurri, shouting the name of Manchester City’s erratic young star Mario Balotelli, who is tipped to be one of the players of the tournament.

Spain received a boost before boarding the flight to Poland when midfielder Cesc Fabregas was able to train with his team-mates after recovering from a right thigh injury sustained in Barcelona’s 3-0 Spanish cup final victory late last month.

The Spanish football federation, however, said that Real Madrid fullback Alvaro Arbeloa trained apart because of a trapped nerve in his back while Sevilla striker Jesus Navas had to go to hospital for a precautionary x-ray to a bruised right hand.

Other than Italy, Spain’s Group C opponents Croatia and the Republic of Ireland both touched down earlier on Tuesday and made their way to their base camps near Warsaw and Gdansk.

German talisman Bastian Schweinsteiger, meanwhile, successfully came through training on Monday after picking up a calf injury during his club Bayern Munich’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea last month.

And veteran Lazio striker Miroslav Klose gave a clear statement of intent, outlining plans to celebrate his 34th birthday on Saturday by getting the Mannschaft off to a winning start.

“Basically I only want three points, I would love to have a victory and I would love for us to put into practice what we know we can do,” said Klose, who has 116 appearances and 63 goals for the Mannschaft — five short of Gerd Mueller’s record.

Elsewhere, co-hosts Poland’s two French-born stars Ludovic Obraniak and Damien Perquis hit back at claims that they have failed to fit in to the squad and questions about their eligibility.

“I’ve been in the squad for more than two years and today I feel like I’m Polish. I love Poland, I love the Poles, and I love my team-mates too,” Bordeaux midfielder Obraniak said in heavily-accented Polish, drawing applause from reporters.

Greece, though, are confident they can repeat their effort of Euro 2004 in Portugal and beat the hosts in the tournament opener on Friday, defender Giorgos Tzavellas said, adding: “We don’t have anything to fear against Poland.

“The Poles will have the stress of the first match as they will be the home team.

“I believe we can repeat our effort of 2004 when we spoiled the opener for the home team.”

Across the border in Ukraine, where the final takes place on July 1, Andriy Shevchenko played down fears that the team was not ready to take on Group D opponents Sweden, England and France after a friendly loss to Austria.

England were expected to arrive at their Krakow base today, while France were due in Donetsk, Ukraine, after their friendly match against Estonia in Le Mans yesterday evening.

England have been hit by injuries to Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry and Gary Cahill and are also without Manchester United star Wayne Rooney for the first two group matches through suspension.

Rooney’s Old Trafford team-mate Rio Ferdinand moved to play down claims from his agent that coach Roy Hodgson had shown a lack of respect for not picking the defender as Cahill’s replacement.

“Just so we don’t get twisted ere....i’ll be in a pub somewhere supporting England this summer! Love the lads!” tweeted the former England captain.