BRUGES, Belgium, June 24 (Reuters)- World champions France will take on Spain in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals on Sunday without midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

The Arsenal player pulled a muscle in his left knee in France's victory over the Czech Republic last week and has not recovered in time for the Bruges clash, coach Roger Lemerre said on Saturday.

Lemerre has no other major injury problems for the game which history and pedigree suggest France should win. But the world champions know they can take nothing for granted after the latest Spanish flourish.

France have not lost to Spain in 19 years and still have fond memories of their 2-0 triumph over the same opponents in the final of the 1984 European Championship in Paris.

But the Spaniards are on a high after scoring twice deep in stoppage time to beat Yugoslavia 4-3 on Wednesday, narrowly avoiding another early departure from a major tournament.

The 1964 European champions, who have a reputation for under-achieving when it matters, could not have found a better way of boosting their confidence for the quarter-final clash in Bruges.

'They were in danger of going out in the group stage and now they might feel nothing bad can happen to them any more,' French wing back Bixente Lizarazu said ahead of the appetising all-Latin battle.

France lost 3-2 to the Netherlands in their final group match, conceding only their second defeat since Lemerre took over from Aime Jaquet as coach after the 1998 World Cup.

Lemerre, who had rested several crucial players, most notably playmaker Zinedine Zidane, was unworried. 'Everything has been going according to plan,' he said. 'It will be a tough fight against Spain, as always, but I really think victory is within our reach.'

Spain are undoubtedly buoyed by their win on Wednesday. 'It will be a very difficult game but I think France will be worried about playing us as well after seeing us attack until the very end,' said defender Sergi.

Spain have doubts about their captain Fernando Hierro, still short of full fitness after suffering a slight thigh strain in his side's 2-1 win over Slovenia last Sunday.

A scan revealed nothing more serious than swelling and the team doctor believes he can still make it but coach Jose Antonio Camacho may decide not to risk the 32-year-old centre back.

The French will rely on their experienced back four of Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc and Lizarazu, who were instrumental to their World Cup success.

They will also, of course, look to Zidane's midfield skills and, unlike two years ago, they now have firepower with quicksilver forward Thierry Henry their danger man.

Real Madrid full-back Michel Salgado will have a crucial part to play in trying to limit the damage done by Henry, highly impressive in France's early group games.

Salgado is fully aware that Spain's ability to cut out the Zidane supply line will be the key to the match.

'He has real invention, great control and a wonderful pass,' Salgado said of the Juventus star. 'He has everything. The whole team is very strong but Zidane has that little bit of magic that others don't have.'

Spain rely heavily on the simple, effective talents of Pep Guardiola in midfield. Several French players also named Valencia midfielder Gaizka Mendieta as a man to watch.

With two potential match winners up front in Raul and Alfonso, Spain love to race forward, leaving spaces wich make them vulnerable to counter-attacks.

The French team have already won their place in the record books with their World Cup victory but hope to add another glorious chapter by becoming the first reigning world champions to win the European title.

'We are less than 10 days away from what could be a historic moment,' said Lizarazu.