Germany coach Joachim Loew says he will turn to Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira for valuable intel ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2016 quarter-final against the Azzurri. Khedira joined the Turin giants last July, switching to the Serie A club from Real Madrid, and several of his club teammates will line-up in Bordeaux for Italy.
In particular, the 29-year-old German defensive midfielder will be able to provide Loew with some important insight into Italy’s water-tight defence. Juventus’ back three of Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci, plus legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, are the rocks in the Azzurri defence.
“I’ll be talking a lot to Sami, he’s important because he knows a lot about Serie A,” said Loew ahead of the plum last-eight tie at the European Championship finals. “He’ll give me a few pieces of info I don’t already have, he knows what they are like from seeing them everyday in training. How they react under pressure and things like that. Sami is smart and clever. He takes over the tasks that are given to him.”
Loew needs all the input he can get as Germany look to make history in their attempt to beat Italy to face France or Iceland in the semi-finals. In eight previous attempts, Germany have never beaten Italy in the finals of a major tournament.
German fans will at least take heart from a 4-1 rout of a lacklustre Italy in their most recent meeting in a friendly in March. But Antonio Conte’s Italy put down a marker ahead of the quarter-final clash by knocking defending champions Spain out with a 2-0 victory in the last 16. Loew is debating which starting line-up to deploy with captain Bastian Schweinsteiger yet to start a game in France after a knee injury. “We looking at which weak points they have and if we’ll change players,” said Loew. “It’s important to stop them counter-attacking. Perhaps they will try and press us early, so we have to be ready to adapt.”
Loew insisted the world champions have no Italian complex as die Mannschaft attempt to break their Azzurri curse. “We have no Italian trauma,” Loew said. “We don’t have any fear of them, just trust in our own skills. For me that’s cold coffee. I’d rather have a fresh espresso. We’ll see how it tastes on Saturday,” he added when reminded of Germany’s previous results against Italy on the big stage. Loew has experienced Germany’s pain first hand as assistant manager when Italy spoiled their World Cup party on home soil in 2006 and four years ago when a Mario Balotelli double took the Azzurri to the final of Euro 2012 at Germany’s expense.
Yet, Loew says he learnt his lesson from that semi-final defeat and, in particular, his inability to restrict Italian playmaker Andrea Pirlo, before leading Germany to a fourth World Cup two years later. “Everyone makes mistakes, I wanted to shut Pirlo down and looking back, one must say the plan didn’t work,” admitted Loew. “I have to take responsibility for that, none of us put in the performances we should have. The defeat helped in my personal development, especially for the 2014 World Cup. It was a good lesson for me.”
Neither Balotelli nor Pirlo are with the Azzurri in France, but Loew knows the challenge Antonio Conte’s side will post. And he insisted the experience of an Italian side captained by veteran goalkeeper Buffon and the presence of Daniele de Rossi in midfield must be respected.
“Form on the day will make the difference, it’s going to be a tight game and the outcome is open,” said Loew. “This is a much better Italian than in 2008 or 2010. They have mentally strong players. They can switch quickly from defence to attack, it’s automatic, even without Pirlo. Buffon brings tremendous calm and their experienced defence is well co-ordinated. In midfield, they have players who defend well, like Daniele de Rossi, who is intelligent and finds the balance.”