THISDAYonline

Traianos Dellas and Theo Zagorakis have insisted Greece's win over Portugal in their opening group game will count for nothing in today's Euro 2004 final.

"You cannot make comparisons between the opening game and the final," said defender Dellas.

"Portugal have changed their team a lot since then and are looking a better side now and I'm sure we're going to play a team that has a lot of heart."

Midfielder Zagorakis said: "I don't think Portugal will underestimate us."

The Greece captain added: "Everything has changed for both teams because at the start of the tournament Portugal had a lot of expectation and pressure while no-one was expecting us to do well."

Dellas agreed with Zagorakis that Portugal had got better as Euro 2004 had progressed.

"They are more solid with each other and they have a good team spirit which is just like us and I think the game will be very close," said Dellas.

Past Meetings

Portugal have met Greece on 11 previous occasions with four wins for Portugal, four draws and three Greek wins.

However, Greece have won three of the five competitive matches - a 4-2 win in qualification for the 1970 World Cup, a 3-2 win in qualification for Euro '92 and a 2-1 win in the opening match of Euro 2004.

In the opening match of this tournament Greece took a 2-0 lead over Portugal though a goal from Giorgios Karagounis and a penalty from Angelos Bassinas.

Christano Ronaldo scored the Portuguese goal in the 90th minute.

The last time Portugal and Greece met before Euro 2004 was in a friendly in Aveiro in November 2003. The result was a 1-1 draw with Vassilis Lakis opening the scoring for Greece after 47 minutes and Pauleta equalising after 60. Figo missed a 30th minute penalty.

Greek midfielder Giorgos Karagounis was shown the red card after 30 minutes of the match.

12 of the 15 Portuguese players to play in that match are in their Euro 2004 squad.

All 18 Greek players that played that night are in their Euro 2004 squad.

Portugal's last win over Greece dates back to 27 March 1996 when they secured a 1-0 home win in a friendly match.

Both nations have five different Euro 2004 goal scorers with their top marksmen having netted twice.

Portugal (probable): Ricardo; Jorge Andrade, Ricardo Carvalho, Miguel, Nuno Valente; Maniche, Costinha; Luis Figo, Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo; Pauleta.

Greece (probable): Nikopolidis; Seitaradis, Dellas, Kapsis, Fyssas; Zagorakis, Katsouranis, Basinas, Giannakopoulos; Vryzas, Charisteas.

Player Facts - Portugal

If Luis Figo plays the final and Fernando Couto does not, Figo will equal Couto's Portuguese record of 110 caps.

Luis Figo is joint second on the all-time list of most assists (five) at the European Championship. Karel Poborsk_ of the Czech Republic holds the record with six assists.

Figo has played in 13 European Championship matches. Only three players have played more - Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram and Karel Poborsk_ are all on 14 matches. Figo is the record holder for Portugal, one match ahead of current team mate Fernando Couto.

Portugal's striker Nuno Gomes scored his fifth career goal at the European Championships against Spain. Only three players have scored more -Michel Platini (nine), Alan Shearer (seven) and Patrick Kluivert (six).

Cristiano Ronaldo is the fourth youngest goal scorer ever at a European Championship.

Both of Rui Costa's goals have come as a substitute. He is one of only six players to have scored more than one European Championship goal as a substitute.

Player Facts - Greece

Giorgios Karagounis is suspended for the Euro 2004 final after receiving a yellow card in each of Greece's two knock-out stage matches.

Italy's Gianluca Zambrotta suffered the same fate four years ago.

Midfielder Theo Zagorakis can equal the all-time appearance record for Greece if he plays in the Euro 2004 final. So far he has earned 94 caps without scoring a single goal. The Greek record is held by Efstratios Apostolakis, who won 95 caps between 1986 and 1998.

Defender Panagiotis Fyssas plays for Benfica so he could face six of his team mates in this match.

Giorgos Seitaridis will move from Panathinaikos to FC Porto this summer.

Angelos Charisteas is the all-time European Championship top scorer for Greece with two goals.

Five Greek players have played in every minute of Euro 2004. They are Antonis Nikopolidis, Theodoros Zagorakis, Mikhalis Kapsis, Traianos Dellas and Giorgos Seitaridis.