Jose Antonio Camacho's side, hoping to lay to rest their perennial underachievers tag, were minutes away from being eliminated but now believe they can go all the way.

Real Betis striker Alfonso, whose two goals against Yugoslavia have made him a national hero, admitted that they have not played well and that the Spanish public are expecting better.

"Frankly, we have passed the ball badly," he said.

"There are many people who are depending on us."

Spain, who have not beaten France since 1981 and never in a competitive fixture, will be looking to avenge the 1984 final where France won 2-0 when they clash on Sunday.

Ex-Spanish coach Javier Clemente feels that Spain would have been better off playing Holland but claims France are not unbeatable.

"I believe that France are a worse team to play and we don't need to remind ourselves that they are world Champions," he said.

"But that does not mean they are going to eat us alive."

Clemente, now coach of Real Sociedad, also had words of encouragement for under-fire midfielder Josep Guardiola.

"For me Guardiola is fundamental and essential to the team," he said.

Spanish defender Paco Jemez agrees that France are beatable and that have been planning ways to stop the French main man - Zinedine Zidane.

"It is vital that they don't get free balls in the centre of the pitch and we have been working on the defensive side of our game in training," he said.

"It is important they do not get many chances."

The Real Zaragoza player, who may be facing Zidane should Fernando Hierro fail a fitness test, feels that France will allow Spain to play their own game.

"France are the favourites, they are a team that plays very vertically and very fast, this will allow us to play with more freedom which we haven't been able to do so far in this tournament," he said.

French coach Roger Lemerre also fears the Spanish threat and feels that Camacho's side deserve respect.

Lemerre, who chose to send out a virtual reserve side in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat against Holland, told Spanish daily Marca: "The Spanish players managed to transform their tiredness into a strength for competitivity."

"The quarter-finals are for the great teams. It will be a difficult and competitive match," he said.

France have a doubt over Emmanuel Petit who injured his right knee against the Czech Republic and missed the game against Holland.

French doctor Jean-Marcel Ferret said: "He has a small problem."

Otherwise Lemerre has no injury worries for Sunday's quarter-final clash in Bruges.