BRUSSELS. Dec 11: Eternal European adversaries England and Germany could be paired together for a second time in a week when the draw for the Euro 2000 finals in Holland and Belgium is made here on Sunday, reports AFT.

On Tuesday. England and Germany were drawn together in the Tokyo draw for the 2002 World Cun to be staged in South Korea and Japan.

And this time the long-time rivals could also be drawn in the same pool alongside reigning world champions France. A match between England and France would also be something of a grudge match given the bitter beef dispute between the two countries and recent claims by France midfielders Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit of anti-French prejudice in the English top flight.

But England and Germany is a more long-standing rivalry. That competition, notwithstanding historical tensions between two countries on opposing sides of two World Wars in this centuiy, saw its modern era begin in 1966 when England beat West Germany 4-2 in the World Cup Final.

German fans are still aggrieved by the decision of a Soviet linesman Tofik Bakhramov to allow England's third goal in that match.

Since then Germany have dominated and they came back from 0-2 behind to beat England 3-2 in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico and also eliminated England on penalties in the 1990 World Cup and the 1996 European Championships.

Matches with Germany and France would ensure a historic context for England, who booked their place in Holland and Germany after a two-legged play-off with their oldest rivals of all — Scotland.

To make matters worse, the Czech Republic, runners-up to Germany in the last European Championships in England, could also end up in England's pool. The Czechs were by far the most impressive qualifiers with a 100 per cent record.

A group with Germany. France, the Czech Republic and England would inevitably earn the tag "the group of death".

But the draw might throw together a far less-daunting series of opponents and England could equally find themselves drawn alongside Belgium. Norway and

Portugal.

Cynics would point out that, given England's lacklustre performance in qualifying, that sides like Belgium. Norway and Portugal would not be particularly perturbed at facing Kevin Keegan s side.

But the possibility of a Group A containing Germany. France, the Czech Republic and England remained the most intriguing possibility after UEFA on Friday decided on a procedure of four pots for the draw on Sunday.

The first pot will contain Joint hosts Holland and Belgium alongside defending champions Germany and Spain, who get in the top group by virtue of having the highest UEFA rating.

The other 12 teams are divided according to their performances in qualifying.

The second pot contains Romania. Norway, Sweden and the Czech Republic, who all won

their groups with something to spare.

.World champions, France and another leading European nation. Italy, make up pot three with Portugal and Yugoslavia.

England, who limped into Euro 2000 through the‘play-offs and were the last nation to qualify, will be alongside Turkey. Denmark and Slovenia - and cannot, therefore, meet those countries In the group section.

Tjiat also means that Yugoslavia. who saw off opposition from bitter Balkan rivals Croatia and Macedonia in qualifying. could face another team created by the break-up of the Yugoslav federation in Slovenia. the most unexpected qualifiers.

Germany, the top seeds in Group A, will play their first three matches in Liege. Belgium on June 11. Charleroi. Belgium on June 17 and Rotterdam. Netherlands on June 20.

Belgium will play all their Group B matches at the King

Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on June 10. 14 and 19 while cohosts Holland will play their Group D fixtures at the Amsterdam Arena on June 11 and 21 and at Rotterdam's Kuip on • June 15.

Spain will play in Group C at Rotterdam on July 12, Amsterdam In July 18 and Bruges. Belgium on June 21.