In public it has all been sweetness and light between Srecko Katenec and Vujadin Boskov, the coaches of Slovenia and Yugoslavia respectively, but to their own country's press the pair have been niggling at each other ahead of this evening's clash at Charleroi.

Katenec got the ball rolling on Sunday when he said that he could name the Yugoslav team, and describe their tactics, so predictable was his opponent but having laughed that suggestion off, Boskov suggested that while the rest of the world might be surprised by a result for Slovenia tonight, back in Yugoslavia it would signal "the end of the world".

On the personnel front Slovenia will be without injured central defender Aleksander Knavs for the game but the team's playmaker and leading goalscorer (by a mile) Zlatko Zahovic is alive and, presumably, kicking and that's pretty much all that matters for this tournament's minnows. Aside from the threat posed by the 29-year-old, the Slovenian's fate is likely to depend on the amount of spirit they show although their coach's assertion that they will "try to score goals but not be afraid to lose four or five nil" is not entirely reassuring.

For Boskov the choices are tougher but Dragan Stojkovic, Savo Milosevic and Goran Djorovic are amongst the familiar names facing the prospect of an evening on the bench. Up front Darko Kovacevic will probably partner Pedraag Mijatovic but look out for an appearance at some point by Partisan Belgrade's young striker Mateja Kezman. Having scored 26 goals for his club last season he has attracted interest from Austria and Boskov is reportedly under a lot of pressure to give him a few run outs here so that the more affluent Italian, Spanish and English clubs get wind of his potential.