Twitter
Advertisement

Euro 2016: Germany vs Italy preview - Will the Germans take revenge?

It's a game fit for a final. Except one of them won't even get past the quarterfinal stage at Euro 2016.

Latest News
article-main
It's a game fit for a final. Except one of them won't even get past the quarterfinal stage at Euro 2016.
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

They're Europe's most successful soccer nations. They're arguably the form teams at this European Championship. They're the two countries that almost always rise to the occasion in major tournaments.

Germany vs. Italy: It's a game fit for a final. Except one of them won't even get past the quarterfinal stage at Euro 2016. The continental heavyweights — owners of eight World Cups and four European Championships between them — collide in Bordeaux on Saturday in a match that stands out for many reasons. 

Firstly, there's the skewed history of their meetings in major tournaments. Germany and Italy have played each other eight times at the highest level and, bizarrely, the Germans haven't recorded a single victory. "We still have a score to settle with the Italians," Germany goalkeeping coach Andreas Koepke said. 

The Germans have largely lived up to their billing, conceding no goals in four matches and hitting their stride with a 3-0 win over Slovakia in the round of 16. The Italians have silenced the critics with arguably the best two displays of any team so far, 2-0 wins over highly fancied rivals Belgium (in the group stage) and then Spain (in the round of 16). 

Italy's so-called three-man BBC defence, led by Giorgio Chiellini playing alongside Juventus teammates Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci, has been key to their success. "We have the Juve trio who guide us, they've not been winning for five years for nothing," said fellow defender Mattia De Sciglio. 

Conte will likely be without midfielder Daniele De Rossi, who picked up a thigh injury in Monday's 2-0 win over holders Spain. Thiago Motta, his usual replacement, is missing through suspension. 

Match timing: 12.30 am, July 3

Where to watch: Sony Six, Sony ESPN and live streaming.

Predicted IX

Germany: M Neuer, J Kimmich, J Boateng, M Hummels, BHöwedes, T Kroos, T Khedira, T Müller, M Ozil, J Draxler, M Gomez

Italy: G Buffon, A Barzagli, L Bonucci, G Chiellini, A Florenzi, S Sturaro, M Parolo, E Giaccherini, M Sciglio, G Pelle, Éder

Stat Attack

Three-time winners Germany have won all of their five Euro quarterfinals while Italy, champions in 1968, have won two and lost two of their four last-eight ties. Germany conceded 0 number of goals at the tournament and has the meanest defence so far. Italy are unbeaten against Germany in eight competitive matches against Italy.

Blast from the past: No luck for Germany

Italy 4-3 West Germany, 1970 World Cup semi-final
The Azzurri took an early lead through Roberto Boninsegna, but Karl-Heinz Schnellinger levelled for West Germany at the death. Extra time was a frenzy: Germany's Gerd Muller scored, Tarcisio Burgnich replied, Luigi Riva put Italy back in front and Müller responded. Then up popped Gianni Rivera to notch the winner with nine minutes left. 

Italy 3-1 West Germany, 1982 World Cup final 
Although Italy's Antonio Cabrini missed a first-half penalty, Paolo Rossi plundered his sixth goal of the tournament – all in the last three games – and Marco Tardelli and Alessandro Altobelli added two more for Enzo Bearzot's side before Paul Breitner's sole riposte for Germany. Italy's 40-year-old captain Dino Zoff duly lifted the trophy, but left the partying to his younger team-mates. "I stayed in my hotel room," the keeper said. "Everybody was asking me to go out and dance and celebrate. Do you really think I could go out and dance at 40?"

Italy 2-0 Germany, 2006 World Cup semifinal
If the 1970 and 1982 defeats were painful enough, at least they happened a good way from home. There was no such comfort for Germany in 2006. After a goalless 90 minutes in Dortmund, extra time was agonising: With penalties looming, Fabio Grosso curled home the opener with two minutes remaining. Alessandro Del Piero added another soon afterwards, and Italy went on to fell France on penalties in the final. 

Italy 2-1 Germany, EURO 2012 semifinal
Italy and Germany faced each other again in another semifinal – no prizes for guessing what happened next. Mario Balotelli was the Azzurri hero with two first-half strikes: a header from Antonio Cassano's cross and a powerful shot from the edge of the box. His bare-chested joy after the first goal rivalled Tardelli's and Grosso's, with Mesut Özil's late penalty no real benefit to Joachim Low's men.

Deadly duel

Graziano Pelle, Italy
Age:
30
Position: Forward
Caps: 16
Goals: 7

Toni Kroos, Germany
Age:
26
Position: Midfielder
Caps: 69
Goals: 11

Not only did Pelle end Spain's hopes when he made it 2-0 in the first minute of injury time, but he also made sure Spain couldn't pass the ball easily. He will have to put in a repeat performance nullify Germany's ball magnet Kroos, who has been excellent in his holding midfield role throughout the tournament. 

Manager talk

Joachim Loew, Germany

"We are confident of our strengths. But it is about the opposition too. The stronger they are, the more you have to consider their strengths," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "They're not the Italians that we normally know. They're not only focused on defense but they play very, very well going forward. So, I believe we'll have a very interesting, highly charged game on Saturday." 

"I'm not singing with the choir that wrote us off (after a 0-0) against Poland and is now branding us absolute favorites after the win over Slovakia," he added. "We have no Italy-trauma. We have the pedigree to beat any team and that's what we want to show tomorrow."

Coach Joachim Loew will have a full squad to choose from with Jonas Hector having recovered from the flu and captain Bastian Schweinsteiger fully fit after playing only a minor role so far following a long-term injury. "We have experienced players and young players. Everyone has this goal to be champions. You can feel this. The energy is super, we have positive thinking, we think we can reach our goals."

Antonio Conte, Italy

Having eliminated holders Spain, Italy coach Antonio Conte is quietly confident his side can pull off another major victory in Saturday's quarter-final against old nemesis Germany, a team he considers to be the world's best. 

"We did something extraordinary against Spain," Conte told reporters on Friday, "and now we have to do something even more extraordinary." Despite gloomy pre-tournament forecasts, Italy have emerged as genuine title contenders after silencing their critics. "We've shown that through hard work, organisation and having 23 top players willing to work hard, we can overcome obstacles that appear difficult from the start."

"We know there will be difficulties," added Conte. "We're ready to meet them head on. We need to play well to overturn the odds, they are against us from the outset."

Team News 

Italy's Candreva and Thiago Motta will not be playing due to adductor injury and suspension respectively. De Rossi is doubtful to play due to thigh injury. No injured player in Germany reported. 

With inputs from agencies.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement