Ukraine are hungry for more World Cup success - and their coach Oleg Blokhin believes they will devour Italy on Friday evening in their World Cup quarter-final in Hamburg.

Ukraine, competing in their first World Cup as an independent state, have battled their way to the last eight with some effective if not always convincing football but Blokhin believes they can go all the way - starting with three-time world champions Italy.

"We will eat Italy with great appetite," said Blokhin on the eve of the match.

"You can look at the rankings - we've had good results and its all based on our ability."

Ukraine, the first European team to qualify for the World Cup, saw their campaign get off to a miserable start with a 4-0 defeat by Spain but, as Blokhin pointed out, his team are still in Germany while the Spaniards are back in Madrid.

"I adore Spanish football," said Blokhin. "But they are out."

Asked if the quarter-finals would mark the end of his side's tournament, the 1975 European footballer of the year said: "No. We are dreaming of a semi-final."

Blokhin said before the tournament that his team could win the World Cup and is still standing by his claim.

"Why not?" asked Blokhin when asked if Ukraine were potential world champions.

"Anyone can win it and so can we. I am very pleased so far with the way my players have performed."

Blokhin has instructed his players not to commit unnecessary fouls with both Italy and Ukraine having had disciplinary problems during the World Cup.

He said: "I am very unhappy. There have been too many yellow and red cards awarded and lots of inexistent penalties. This is football it's not the Bolshoi ballet so I have warned my players to avoid some bad tackles."

With striker Andriy Voronin ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a muscle injury, Blokhin must decide whether to bring in Artem Milevskyi alongside skipper Andriy Shevchenko.

He will bolster defence with Vyacheslav Sviderskyi and Andriy Rusol available again after being suspended for the last 16 match with Switzerland while Vladimir Yezerskyi is also at the coach's disposal after recovering from an injury.

Asked about a possible semi-final with hosts Germany who play Argentina in their quarter-final, the coach admits he is already planning for a possible match with Jurgen Klinsmann's side.

"(Lukas) Podolski is a great playmaker," said Blokhin of the Germany player. "And (Miroslav) Klose is a great finisher.

"But they (the Germans) have problems in defence."