A 2-0 victory over France in their final group game meant Italy booked their place in the last eight after a slow start to the tournament, while Spain have lit up the competition with three wins out of three.

The Spanish are renowned for having excellent starts in tournaments, only to fall apart in the latter stages, but Donadoni does not feel that will work in his side's favour at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadion.

"It will motivate Spain all the more to end that tradition," said Donadoni.

"We have to make sure we also show the same ambition and hunger."

Many pundits have picked Spain as the team of the tournament so far - a message Donadoni is keen to convey to the Azzurri.

"Spain are a very good team," said Donadoni. "They have great players and a very good league.

"Spain are less physical than France but they have faster players and can create more problems for us."

Donadoni is able to draw on his own experience as a player going into the showdown with Spain.

At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, he was in the side that beat Spain 2-1.

That Italy team eventually reached the final before losing to Brazil on penalties.

"When you have great balance between two sides, only minor episodes determine a game as was the case 14 years ago in Boston.

"It was a very balanced game as I remember."

What Donadoni is not doing is listening to those who say Italy were lucky to get out of the group after Holland thrashed them in their opening fixture and Gianluigi Buffon's penalty save spared them from elimination against Romania.

"In terms of results we have grown as we started with a loss, then a draw and then a win but that is not the case in terms of our performances," he said.

"I think we played well against France but I don't feel that we were overrun and we survived the group stages.

"I don't feel credit or debit regarding luck so far in the tournament. I take what comes our way, with calmness and I accept it."

Coaching in his first tournament since taking over after the 2006 World Cup, Donadoni is satisfied with his efforts.

"I think I have put body and soul into what I have done, but it doesn't mean that things have gone in the best possible way."

Italy lost captain Fabio Cannavaro to injury prior to the start of the tournament while defender Andrea Barzagli is out for the remainder of the competition having sustained a knee injury earlier this week in training.

To make matters worse for Donadoni, AC Milan midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso are suspended for the clash against Spain.

"Pirlo and Gattuso are important players," he admitted. "Pirlo has played all three games. But there are players that will take their role and do well.

"We believe in those players and they have the confidence of their team-mates."

And the former AC Milan midfielder warned Luis Aragones' side that they will be in for a battle.

"We will give everything," he said. "We believe in what we have done so far and we will yet again be united for the challenge we face tomorrow."

The world champions will be hoping Luca Toni can score his first goal of the tournament on Sunday and end his goalscoring drought with Italy which has lasted for 415 minutes, and Donadoni is backing his targetman

"I hope Luca scores," he said. "I know that a striker needs to score, it's important for him.

"But statistics do not interest me. The fact that Toni earned the penalty against France which led to the sending off of Abidal meant more than if he had scored a brace."