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Stadio San Siro is the venue as Italy and Germany go head-to-head in the first leg of their mouth-watering UEFA Nations League quarter-final tie. Thursday\u2019s encounter in Milan marks the first meeting between familiar foes since June 2022.<\/p>\n
Italy seemed on the verge of locking down a top-table finish in a highly competitive Group A2. However, those dreams came crashing down on the final matchday. France avenged a 3-1 loss in Paris with an identical victory on this ground to condemn Luciano Spalletti\u2019s team to a runner-up spot.<\/p>\n
Despite suffering their first defeat after a notorious EURO 2024 fiasco, Italy sealed a third consecutive qualification for the Nations League playoffs. Yet, they couldn\u2019t get past the semi-finals in the last two attempts, finishing third on both occasions. Furthermore, they didn\u2019t have to navigate the quarter-finals in the previous editions.<\/p>\n
As for Germany, this is their debut in the Nations League playoff stages. Perhaps surprisingly for a nation of this quality, Die Mannschaft\u2019s past Nations League campaigns failed to deliver much joy. Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann could flip that script as he looks to atone for the EURO 2024 heartbreak.<\/p>\n
The Germans\u2019 quest to secure continental glory ended at the hands of eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals under controversial circumstances. Unfazed by that gut-wrenching elimination, they\u2019ve reigned supreme post-tournament and will undoubtedly take the field in high spirits.<\/p>\n
Italy<\/strong><\/p>\n Before France\u2019s victory at the San Siro, Italy\u2019s Group A2 campaign had all the makings of plain sailing. Indeed, Spalletti\u2019s charges had won four of their opening five matches (D1), including away victories against Belgium and the French. But they\u2019ve struggled to impress at home.<\/p>\n Except for a 4-1 demolition of Israel, they only picked up one point from two remaining home matches in the group phase, courtesy of a 2-2 draw against Belgium. Far from imperious on home turf, Italy must defy recent history to progress from this blockbuster tie.<\/p>\n Gli Azzurri haven\u2019t beaten Germany in any of their last six meetings across all competitions (D3, L3), including a pair of winless duels in the previous Nations League cycle (D1, L1). On the bright side, they avoided defeat in each encounter they hosted in that sequence.<\/p>\n However, they\u2019ve been prone to slow starts in this fixture, drawing a blank in the first half across their last six matches against the Germans. There\u2019s no doubt Spalletti would appreciate a change of scenery later this evening.<\/p>\n Germany<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite boasting a formidable form against Italy, Germany last triumphed in this country in 1986 under the legendary Franz Beckenbauer. As such, Nagelsmann can follow in the footsteps of the immortal \u2018Kaizer\u2019 and become the first German boss in the 21st century to taste victory on Italian soil.<\/p>\n Optimism is bursting at the seams as Die Mannschaft took this trip amid a purple patch. Barring the abovementioned extra-time heartache against Spain at the Euros, Nagelsmann\u2019s men have gone unbeaten in their remaining 14 internationals since the start of 2024 (W10, D4), including a near-flawless Nations League group-stage campaign (W4, D2).<\/p>\n Germany finished top of their group, ahead of the Netherlands, displaying attractive football and often running over their opposition. For context, they hammered Bosnia & Herzegovina 7-0 while putting five unanswered goals past Hungary en route to an eye-catching 18-goal tally across six matches.<\/p>\n Italy will be without Inter wingback Federico Dimarco, while Andrea Cambiasso\u2019s availability hangs in the balance. Therefore, Destiny Udogie is the likeliest candidate to start on the left. Atalanta star Mateo Retegui had to leave the camp due to injury, with Moise Kean staking his claim for a starting berth.<\/p>\n On the other hand, Germany cannot call upon Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz and Arsenal striker Kai Havertz. Borussia Monchengladbach\u2019s Kleindienst should take the latter\u2019s place in attack, while Mainz\u2019s Nadir Amiri returns to the national team for the first time in four years to replace Wirtz.<\/p>\n Italy (3-5-2):<\/strong> Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Politano, Barella, Rovella, Tonali, Udogie; Raspadori, Kean.<\/p>\n Germany (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Nubel; Kimmich, Rudiger, Schlotterbeck, Mittelstadt; Andrich, Gross; Sane, Musiala, Adeyemi; Kleindienst.<\/p>\n Given a full-blown injury crisis in the German camp, this feels like a prime opportunity for Italy to break their drought in this match-up. It won\u2019t be straightforward, but Spalletti\u2019s team could narrowly edge Die Mannschaft ahead of next week\u2019s second leg on the road.<\/p>\nTeam News<\/h2>\n
Italy vs Germany Potential Starting Line-ups<\/h2>\n
Italy vs Germany Prediction<\/h2>\n