The Azzurri have taken just one point from their two Group B matches and can ill afford another slip-up against the team they beat in the World Cup quarterfinals on their way to becoming champions.

Pirlo and Gattuso were the heartbeat of the Italy team in Germany this summer, and they believe the team is looking like world-beaters once again after a draw against lowly Lithuania and defeat to France.

"This is the real Italy, the Italy that won the World Cup, and we will show it on Saturday," Pirlo said after several days of intense training at their Florence base.

Gattuso, whose tigerish tackling complements Pirlo's vision and passing skills, echoed his teammate's sentiments.

"We don't feel that we have been resting on our laurels and we haven't been taking it easy," he said.

"In Paris, France were several weeks ahead of us in terms of preparation and the defeat was understandable. Admittedly we lost two points against Lithuania, but we have put those results behind us. Now we are determined to put our campaign back on track.

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Italy, who after the Ukraine match play away to Georgia the following Wednesday, are five points behind joint Group B leaders Scotland and France. Ukraine are third on three points, but have played a game less.

Luca Toni is hoping to inflict further misery on Ukraine having scored twice against them in Italy's 3-0 victory in the World Cup quarterfinals.

"Against Ukraine I scored my only two goals of the World Cup. The Ukraine brought me luck and I hope they do so again," said the Fiorentina striker.

Toni refuted suggestions that Italy's bad start to their Euro 2008 campaign is down to a World Cup hangover.

"This group of players is still hungry," he said. "I see it in the eyes of everybody -- even those who have won practically everything."

Italy suffered a blow on Tuesday when Fabio Grosso was sent home after failing to recover from a right thigh strain.

The left-sided Inter Milan defender, scorer of the winning penalty-kick in the World Cup final against France, has been told to rest and will not even be fit in time for the Georgia match next week. Italy midfielder Simone Perrotta, who is suspended for the Ukraine match, pulled a hamstring in Wednesday's training session and is struggling to be fit in time for the trip to Tbilisi.

Ukraine are still unsure whether Andrei Shevchenko, who left AC Milan to join English champions Chelsea this summer after seven years in Italy, will play.

"On Tuesday evening Andrei had a temperature," Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin told a news conference on Wednesday. "Maybe he has caught a cold or a viral infection.

"He may miss the match with Italy if our team doctors fail to lower his temperature in the next few days."

Shevchenko used to terrorise defenders week-in, week-out in Italy, scoring 127 goals in 208 Serie A matches.