Age-old adversaries Germany and Italy will clash in the quarter finals of the Euro 2016 championships but can the Italians continue their winning ways against the Die Mannschaft?
It has already been labelled one of the best matches of the tournament partially due to the fierce and ongoing rivalry between the two nations.
Prior to the tournament, the Italian squad was very much considered by some Italian media outlets as one of the worst Italian teams in a long time with the exclusion of Andrea Pirlo and Sebastian Giovinco from the squad.
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Coach Antonio Conte’s men were handed a difficult draw, with Belgium, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland in the group stage and Spain in their first knockout clash. However the hurdles were surpassed and in style as their attention is now firmly fixed on the German clash.
The reigning world champions had a relatively easier draw with their round-of-16 clash being a 3-0 flex of muscle against Marek Hamsik’s Slovakia. There can be no denying Germany’s dominance in recent years, culminating in their 2014 World Cup victory against Argentina.
Yet the Die Mannschaft have never beaten the Italians in any competition.
Ironically the last time the two teams met in a tournament was in the 2012 European Championships where in which the Azzurri got another one over their arch-rivals with a 2-1 victory.
Germany’s victories have come in friendlies with the most recent being in March with a 4-1 win and an evident display of strength. However, the upcoming quarter final clash will be a match of a different kind with several injuries in the Italian squad.
These include the injuries sustained by Antonio Candreva and Daniele De Rossi, with both being ruled out of starting contention for the Azzurri.
Yet when looking at Italy’s previous competition matches, they have looked immaculate in defence with only a few errors creeping into their play and structure.
Only the one goal has been conceded by the team against the Republic of Ireland in their final group clash. Indeed the transition from defence to attack has been where the Italians have appeared most dangerous with their high work rate commendable.
Meanwhile, Low’s men have been somewhat ramshackled in their final third as spaces and allowances were created for the Slovakian attack whom did not manage to capitalise on those affordances.
Despite their defensive errors, the Die Mannschaft have not conceded a goal in the tournament or in the last 480 minutes of play which only highlights the efforts of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
However their attack has been on song with Mario Gomez scoring two goals in his two starts for his country in the competition thus far and has the joint-most goals for Germany alongside Jurgen Klinsmann.
Low told the press that he is not fazed by the talks of their head-to-head record.
“We have never beaten them in a tournament but we have no Italy trauma,” he said.
Indeed there are positives and negatives for both sides with which the result could really go down to the wire given the fact that both sides are in peak form.
Will Germany secure their first victory against the Italians in the competition or will the Azzurri continue their winning ways?
Who knows, but one thing is for sure, it will be a close and fiery encounter.
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