@Cassio: On German Footy website kicker.de there's a statistic about Italy's opponents: Italien | Bilanz aller Gegner Is this list correct? I was very astonished to see that Italy played by far the most matches against Germany (37). I'd thought you'd played the most against Spain or France but they're far behind. And you played just 17-times against England? Our stats against Italy are still very negative: 37 matches: Only 9 wins - 13 Draws - 15 losses. I hope it will be 11 wins after Sunday btw: Also on the website is a short interview with ex-Italy player Riccardo Montolivo. (I can't put a link here as it seems blocked outside Germany or I'm just to daft for it ) Because of his perfect German I was astonished. Later I googled him and read that his mother is German and he even has also the German citizenship. That explains his perfect German He said in this interview " that he can't explain why Germany has always so much difficulties when playing against Italy and that even friendlies against Germany aren't friendlies but always something special." So, it's also the same for the Italians as for us when we play against you guys. Always something special.
Is correct! Yes, I knew Montolivo's mother was from Germany, and I can confirm that, for us Italy-Germany is THE match, even people who do not know anything about football (very rare in Italy) would feel and watch the match. Italy-Brazil could be a bit similar but it's not like that at all. We don't feel any football "rivalry" with Spain, England etc. France is different but not for football, because the average Italian see France like his major rival in everything else (food, fashion, art... but we still think we are better without a doubt in everything ) so maybe when we play France someone would feel a rivarly but not for football reason. Anyway Calafiori threw some gasoline on the fire: What do the Germans struggle with when facing Italy? “I don’t know. Too many things have changed over the years. I really can’t say. Maybe they’ve always had a bit of arrogance, that sense of superiority, and perhaps we’ve brought them back down to earth."
Let me say, that I love both countries, France and Italy. I lived in France for a year due to work and made several times holiday in Italy. And I also love both foods (except the so-called French "Haute Cuisine" with snails and frogs ) I think he's wrong here. If we hadn't one thing when playing against Italy it was arrogance and the feeling of superiority. If we really had that then we wouldn't have so much respect for the Italian football as we always had and still have. I think we often have simply no luck when playing Italy, not in the friendlies where we had all our victories but in the major tournaments where we're still winless against them (1 WC final, 2 semifinals WC (plus a Euro semi-final). The WC semifinals were hard fought matches and could go either way (not the WC final 1982, though, where we were hopeless). Even the one win at the Euro 2016 in the quarterfinals after penalty shootout doesn't count officially as a win but only as a draw) So, no arrogance from the German team when playing Italy that's for sure.
I know, I agree, I think he was just trying to pump us up. Usually these kind of things always comes back to bite you. But still I agree with what Bierhoff said, even though it bothered some people here (and I think maybe that's why Calafiori said that). He basically said that we no longer scare anyone and we no longer have strong players... and that is the truth.
A draw was deserved, but unfortunately our attackers are terrible and those who came in could play maybe in Serie B. Maldini is a shame. With normal players we would have even won the match maybe lol what a disaster.
How the **** is this still going on? World Cup qualifying starts on Saturday and I'm in a pub in Scotland surrounded by very happy Scots because they've won a match in the world's longest competition
Just seen Rasmus '3 goals in 24 matches' Hojlund scored and did the Ronaldo celebration in front of him tonight. FFS
Meanwhile, there is also a CONCACAF Nations League, which finishes up tonight and Sunday. The four remaining teams play single elimination, all played in Los Angeles. USA v Panama are nil-nil at HT, then Canada v Mexico in the nightcap.
But only maybe The main difference today was that we had a very good goalie in Oliver Baumann and you had Donnarumma He didn't look good "in the height" although he's a giant of a man and 2-times he theatrically cheated as if he was fouled but you could clearly see that the German player didn't even touch him. Interesting was that before the match the German TV had Gigi Buffon for an interview together with Bastian Schweinsteiger (who serves as expert here. Both hugged each other very warmly). "Schweini" showed Gigi some tv-analysis they made which showed that Italy has difficulties to defend corners. Gigi said that they know about it and they worked hard on it and then the deciding 1-2 (or 2-1 for us ) from Goretzka was exactly a goal from the corner which they couldn't defend and where Donnarumma didn't look good either. Man of the match was clearly Leon Goretzka, not only because of his goal. Brilliant comeback from him after 16 months absence from the Nationalteam. Our unbeaten run against Italy continues. Since the 1-2 loss in the semi-final of the Euro 2012 we haven't lost against Italy anymore. In 7 matches since then we are now 3 Wins-4Draws-0 Losses! btw: It was also the first win away in Italy since 40 years! I hope the unbeaten run against Italy will go on on Sunday in Dortmund in the 2nd leg. Italy, though, has good memories of Dortmund. Nothing is decided yet. I hope we play like in the 2nd half and not in the 1st half of the match ************ Other results of the Quarterfinals in League A: Netherlands vs Spain 2-2, The Dutch nearly had the Spaniards on the brink of their first loss since 16 matches Denmark vs Portugal 1-0 (40 year old CR7 without a goal.) Croatia vs France 2-0 (Modric said some words to his fellow Real Madrid player, Mbappé, when he tried to cheat for a penalty)
Backup striker Cecilio Waterman beats Matt Turner at the far post late in stoppage time. Panama get to keep the canal !! On a side note, the Paramount Plus studio crew were there live, behind the goal where Waterman scored. He and several teammates immediately dashed to their table and gave Thierry Henry a huge group hug. Not sure what that Story is.
