France v Switzerland - Preview

France out to slay the ghosts of 2002

France take on neighbours Switzerland in their opening World Cup skirmish in Stuttgart on Tuesday eager to atone for their tepid title defence four years ago.

Chastened by the Asian nightmare when they became the first defending champions to crash out of the group stages without scoring a single goal Les Bleus will be out to get their 2006 campaign off to a flying start.

Anxious not to see history repeating itself Raymond Domenech has gone to great lengths to ensure his men are fitter and fresher than Roger Lemerre's jaded class of 2002.

Preparations have included a team-building expedition up a 3,000 metre alpine glacier and they have another mountain to climb in Kobi Kuhn's young, well-honed, efficient side which held Italy to a 1-1 draw in a warm-up.

The two countries know each other well, having crossed swords in qualifying, with France pinching the group on the last day and Switzerland joining them after surviving an explosive play-off with Turkey.

Domenech has at his disposal a potent mix of experience in the guise of the talismanic Zinedine Zidane, for whom this represents a final curtain call before retirement, Claude Makelele and potential matchwinner Thierry Henry, and fresh blood in the shape of the Frank Ribery - the joker in the pack who is expected to start.

The Marseille midfielder's exceptional pace and lust for battle have earned him a huge fan club. Introduced late in the game on only his third cap he was at the heart of France's last gasp win against the Chinese at Saint Etienne.

Alexander Frei, who comes off an injury-hit season with French club Rennes, heads the Swiss frontline and he will be hoping to stick around longer than he did at Euro 2004 when he was sent home early for spitting.

Frei took his international tally to 25 with a double in Switzerland's 4-1 win, also against the Chinese, in their final friendly.

His preferred strike partner, Johan Vonlanthen, is injured with 29-year-old midfielder Hakan Yakin stepping in as a replacement.

The Swiss backrow has as its cornerstone Henry's Highbury colleague, Philippe Senderos, who made his international bow against France in qualifying a year ago.

The 21-year-old, who missed out on the Champions League final with injury, is highly rated by both his club boss Arsene Wenger and Kuhn and will be lying in wait to stifle Henry and co.

The Swiss are the second youngest side at the 2006 World Cup and with that in mind Kuhn warned: "This tournament may come a bit too early for us."