the coach is refusing

BADEN, June 18 (Reuters) - Strikers are finding Euro 2008 more difficult than defenders because of the demands of a long season, Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said on Wednesday

The world champions beat 10-man France 2-0 in their final Group C game on Tuesday to set up a quarter-final with Spain on Sunday in Vienna. So far none of Donadoni's strikers have scored but the coach is refusing to come down hard on Luca Toni, Antonio Cassano, Alessandro Del Piero or Antonio Di Natale.

'I believe we are in the period of the season where it is not easy. After a long, hard season, it is a lot easier for defenders than attackers,' he told a news conference.

The 44-year-old acknowledged that his assertion may not hold true for Spain, whose forwards have been flying with David Villa scoring a hat-trick in their opening 4-1 win over Russia.

'I don't know if you can say it is the worst draw but they are tough,' he said. 'If you don't start brightly against them you will always be playing second fiddle. They are complicated opponents.'

Spain beat Italy 1-0 in a March friendly but have never beaten them at a major soccer tournament outside the Olympics. Donadoni, whose future is unclear because of a reciprocal escape clause in his contract with the Italian federation, sounded confident but was keen not to let expectations run wild.

'I didn't have doubts, I was convinced this was a team that could beat anyone,' he said. 'I don't know if Italy will go right to the end, I only know that we carry on until Sunday. This is the objective, the only one.'

Donadoni is especially under pressure because World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi is still out of work having stepped down after their 2006 triumph, with media reports linking him strongly with a possible return to the job.

Lippi stayed quiet after Italy's opening 3-0 defeat by the Dutch and the 1-1 draw with Romania. However, he broke his silence to salute the side for their performance against France.

'I must compliment the Azzurri because it was not easy to get out of the group after such a difficult start at the Euros. But they showed compactness, enthusiasm and strength that I applaud,' Lippi told reporters in Italy.