Denmark may fear Italy's Panico

Both teams secured a point from their opening Group A fixtures, and while Denmark hold the upper hand against Italy overall, it is a different story in UEFA Women's EURO final tournament games.

Head-to-head record
• In 15 meetings, Denmark have won eight and Italy three with four draws. The goal tally is 32-14 to Denmark.

• Their first meeting was in the final of a tournament in Naples on 27 July 1979, Denmark winning 2-0.

• It was not until 1985, in their fourth meeting, that Italy avoided defeat, winning 2-1.

• They first met competitively in 1991 UEFA European Women's Championship qualifying, Denmark winning 1-0 at home and drawing 1-1 away. Both progressed to the four-team finals in Denmark and met for third place, the hosts prevailing 2-1 after extra time.

• In their most recent meeting, they drew 2-2 in the Sao Paulo tournament on 11 December 2011.

Selected previous meeting
25 June 2001: Italy 2-1 Denmark (Panico 12 72; Bukh 74) Waldstadion, Aalen, UEFA Women's EURO group stage
Italy: Brenzan, Tavalazzi, Masia (Duo 66), Frollani, Deinana, Pellizzer, Panico, Zorri (Maglio 82), Guarino, Tesse, D'Astolfo.
Denmark: H Johansen, U Knudsen (Andersson), K Pedersen, Terp, G Andersen, Paaske-Sørensen (Bukh), Lene Jensen (Jokumsen), Petersen, Krogh, M Pedersen, Bonde.

• Having drawn 2-2 in the 1997 group stage – when Panico came off the bench to score and Italy went on to reach the final – they met again in their opening finals fixture four years later.

• Then Panico again and Julie Rydahl Bukh got the goals but, although Italy won, Denmark eventually topped the group and the Azzurre missed out in third place.

• In April 2001 Denmark pair Bukh and Italy's Viviana Schiavi, Alessia Tuttino, Valentina Boni, Pamela Conti and Elisa Camporese played in these nations' only competitive youth encounter. Denmark won a UEFA European Women's Under-18 Championship third qualifying round tie 2-1, Bukh scoring and being sent off in the first half.

Form guide
• Italy kept up their fine run from 2011 World Cup qualifying in reaching these finals. They clinched first place in Group 1 ahead of Russia with two games left and won nine and drew one of their fixtures, a 0-0 draw in Greece in their last match. They scored 35 goals without conceding.

• A month before qualification was clinched, coach Pietro Ghedin left to take over the Malta men's team and was succeeded by 1982 FIFA World Cup winner Antonio Cabrini.

• Italy have never failed to make the last eight of a Women's EURO and were runners-up in 1993 and 1997.

• This is set to be Panico's fifth EURO finals having played at 1997, 2001, 2005 (the only one in which she did not score) and 2009.

• Denmark seldom falter in qualifying groups and so it proved again. They won their first six fixtures, and although they fell to a surprise 3-1 defeat in Austria on 15 September 2012, four days later a 2-0 win against Portugal confirmed first place in Group 7.

Team ties
• Italian and Danish clubs have met in four two-legged UEFA Women's Champions League/UEFA Women's Cup ties.

• In the 2007/08 quarter-finals ASD CF Verona beat Brøndby IF on penalties after each had won 1-0 away. Verona fielded Panico, Boni, Tuttino, Motta and Gabbiadini while Brøndby boasted Bukh, Mia Brogaard, Line Røddik and Nanna Christiansen.

• Verona then twice played Fortuna Hjørring in the round of 32. In 2009/10 Fortuna won 4-0 at home before losing 2-1 away and a year later prevailed 8-0 at home and 6-1 away. In 2010/11 Fortuna's Janni Arnth Jensen, Mariann Gajhede Knudsen, Bukh and Kristine Pedersen all played in the first game with Sine Hovesen involved in the second leg. Gabiadinni and second-leg goalscorer Cristiana Girelli were in the Verona team.

• Brøndby defeated ASD Torres CF in the 2011/12 round of 16, winning 2-1 at home and 3-1 away. Cecilie Sandvej, Theresa Nielsen, Nanna Christiansen and Bukh played for Brøndby. Torres fielded Raffaella Manieri, Elisabetta Tona, Silvia Fuselli, Panico, Sandy Ianella, Giorgia Motta and Sandy Maendly.