NEW Ewood star Sebastien Perez will be thinking of what might have been as he watches France's World Cup quarter-final tie against Italy tomorrow, writes PETER WHITE.

For the £3 million man from Bastia figured for a time in French boss Aime Jacquet's thoughts during the past season as the coach pieced together his final 22.

Even though he did not make the finals, Perez will be cheering France on to potential glory - believing they can beat Italy if they get their tactics right.

"The coach watched me in a few matches and spoke to my manager at Bastia about me," revealed Perez.

"But there were others before me.

"If they play against Italy with two strikers then I think they can win."

Perez believes David Trezuguet and Thierry Henry are the men who should be entrusted with forming a twin spearhead. And does he think France can go all the way and win the trophy? "I hope," smiled Blackburn Rovers' latest acquisition. Two friends and former team-mates, Christian Vieri and Zinedine Zidane, will meet as bitter rivals in Paris. One of the heavyweight sides of France 98 will be knocked out at the Stade de France, and both men will be carrying the hopes of their respective nations squarely on their shoulders.

Vieri is the joint top scorer of the tournament, with five goals in four matches, while Zidane, hero-worshipped in France as the rightful heir to Michel Platini, returns from a two-match suspension.

The atmosphere is bound to be electric. About 80,000, mainly French, fans will be roaring on the host nation, and a place in the last four is at stake.

But Vieri and the rest of the Italian camp are convinced they can pull off a win.

The Atletico Madrid ace predicts that France, under the enormous pressure which has built up on them since before the tournament even started, are condemned to attack.

As a result, he argues, they will be susceptible to the kind of counter-attack which enabled him to score the winner against Norway, his first goal against Cameroon and the opener against Chile. "They will have all the responsibility and all the pressure on them and they've got three strikers," he said. "They are obliged to attack.''

Italy captain Paolo Maldini takes heart from the desperation with which France flung themselves forward in their second round battle.

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