KNOKKE, Belgium, June 10 (Reuters) - Henning Berg hopes he will be fit for Norway's opening Euro 2000 game against Spain on Tuesday but the team's assistant coach says the defender's chances of playing are only 50-50.

Berg has been struggling with a tight hamstring for the last week and he must train on Sunday to prove his fitness for the group C match in Rotterdam.

'I'm hopeful,' he said at the team's hotel. 'I've been taking it easy the last couple of days to make sure it's okay for tomorrow.

'If it's alright tomorrow, I will probably play on Tuesday or be ready for selection.

Berg has not strained the hamstring but he said it was very stiff after a long season.

Assistant coach Erik Thorstvedt said it was 50-50 whether the United player would make it.

Berg added: 'If I'm not 100 percent I won't play because you have to be 100 percent fit to do well in these games and you don't want to let your team mates down.'

Berg is Norway's only injury problem before the tough test against Spain who are the strongest team in the group.

The country's confidence is on a high after three Spanish teams reached the semifinals of this season's Champions League and Real Madrid won the title.

'Spain have been hot favourites at championships and underperformed,' Thorstvedt said. 'Sooner or later they are going to get it right. It could happen this time.'

But he added: 'That three of the four Champions League semifinalists came from Spain could be a chance happening. It doesn't necessarily mean that they have taken a grip on football in Europe.'

Thorstvedt said it would not be the end of the world if they lost the opening game because Norway would still have a chance to go through in matches against Yugoslavia and Slovenia.

'I think it's the most difficult game you can start with because it's the favourites in the group we are playing,' said Tottenham Hotspur striker Stefen Iversen.

'That could be positive for us because the first game is always nervous for any team. That is good for us because we are the underdogs and have no pressure at all.

'We can go out and play attacking football and maybe surprise Spain.'