Intro:

Italy bask in unexpected praise following their 1-1 draw with Spain in their opening Euro 2012 match, but coach Cesare Prandelli believes that greater challenges lie ahead.

Script:

For a squad that entered the European Championship with three straight defeats, Italy are suddenly basking in praise after their daring performance against defending champions Spain.

Compliments were abundant at Casa Azzurri on Monday (June 11th), a day after the 1-1 draw with Spain, with Jose Mourinho tipping Italy to go "very far".

But the Italian coach Cesare Prandelli thinks the journey has barely begun.

SOUNDBITE (Italian) Italy coach Cesare Prandelli:
"Our problem now would be thinking that we solved all our problems, because we didn't. We just tried to prepare a team which would be alert and would fight for every ball, like a national team should do. And then we applied those two or three solutions we practiced during the week to cause some troubles to a team like Spain. In three days we will face a totally different team, I think one posing even more serious threats, because they are unpredictable, the can change from match to match, from one half of the match to the other, and so we have to get there even more prepared."

Italy face Croatia - the Group C leaders after beating Ireland 3-1 - on Thursday (June 14th).