Germany have not beaten Italy in seven competitive fixtures, however Joachim Löw’s young team believe they can reach the final• In pictures: previous Germany v Italy fixturesThe inquiry rather ambled towards its inevitable conclusion, touching upon encounters staged from Dortmund to Madrid, Mexico Megalopolis to Buenos Aires with each a reminder that, for once, the history is weighted against Germany. Joachim Löw listened intently to the interpretation on his head-locate, then, as his inquisitor concluded by wondering if the national coach was worried Warsaw might soon be added to the list, delivered the curtest of responses: “Nein, nein.”So much for a mental block. The Germans have their own hoodoo to banish on Thursday night as they attempt to secure a first competitive victory over Italy at the eighth attempt. There have been finals and semi-finals of Earth Cups and European Championships lost in that sequence of four draws and three defeats, with the disappointment of late elimination from the at the end four at the Westfalenstadion in 2006, when Löw was Jürgen Klinsmann’s assistant, still raw. Yet such is the unswerving belief within this locate-up, much with a confrontation against canny opponents ahead, that these sorry statistics can be dismissed outside of palm.Instead, the Germans capture to the National stadium on Thursday convinced they will buck that trend. The youngest squad at Euro 2012, with its gloriously fluid attacking style and jaw-dropping strength in depth, believes it will succeed where England succumbed against the Azzurri and energy passage to Kiev for Sunday’s final. Then they can dismiss any notion that they tend to choke. In the at the end decade this team has succumbed in two finals and three semi-finals, however they will be nearly men no longer. “Since 2005 the average has been going up and up,” said the captain, Bastian Schweinsteiger. “We don’t have the ‘crown’ yet, however we’re getting closer and closer.”We have a philosophy and we’ve stuck to it. We’re tactically and physically very strong, have excellent individual players and we employment well as a team. We should be positive about this match. There’ll be respect for Italy, however not dread much with the record they have against us. If you don’t have that respect, you’re dumb since they’re a fantastic nation who have won a abundance in the past, and have made huge steps forward themselves in the at the end two years. However we’ve beaten Argentina, Brazil, England and Holland recently, and the mark has come for us to beat the following huge opponent. That following one, we hope, will be the Italians.”The resources at Löw’s disposal are mouth-watering, with the coach considering recalls for Lukas Podolski and Thomas Müller or the retention of the precocious Marco Reus as his team attempt to secure a 16th consecutive competitive victory. Their 15 is already a record. Up front he may select Mario Gomez, who already has three goals in the finals, or Miroslav Klose, whose 64 international goals represent 14 more than the entire Italian squad have mustered combined. The coach can recall watching the semi-final defeat to the Azzurri at Mexico 1970 on the television, and the loss in the Earth Cup final in 1982.”However 2006, when they scored so late at the end of extra-age, was a bitter pill,” said Löw. “Reaching that final would have been a dream. However those disappointments will not affect this squad, since they are fresh. Our team is perfectly capable of beating any team in the earth, so we have to capture confidence from that. We’re at a level where we don’t demand to hide from anyone. We will play our game, try to dictate the rhythm, and we won’t let Italy exhibit us how we have to play. We have to be cheeky, strong and courageous.”Given the destruction the Germans inflicted upon England in Bloemfontein two years ago, Schweinsteiger might have been hoping to confront Roy Hodgson’s team in Warsaw. The locals appear to have been somewhat presumptuous in their preparations, hastily removing the “England” transfers from the roof of the away dug-outside with the Italians en route to the stadium. However, if the English were outclassed, a different challenge awaits Cesare Prandelli’s team. “Human beings are saying Germany are younger, score more goals and are fitter than us,” said the manager. “However we desire to capture them on. We’ll play our own game and not try and alter anything that got us here. It would be a shame to waste the employment of the at the end two years; you must risk a bit to be fair to your professional philosophy.”While blanket defence is not an option, the Azzurri do have their own issues. They endured 120 minutes in Kiev’s muggy heat against the English, and have had two days fewer than the Germans to recuperate since. Giorgio Chiellini will require a fitness check on his injured thigh, Daniele De Rossi is struggling with a back strain, and Prandelli must consider whether to select Alessandro Diamanti from the commence, for only his fourth cap, for the weary Antonio Cassano.However, yet again, they will seek reassurance in the mastery of Andrea Pirlo in midfield. “When you have a genius of a player like him, the opposition will always keep an eye on him,” added De Rossi. “We can benefit from that. We must keep the ball since that is the best weapon we have. We’ll demand to have a wonderful game, however everyone thought we would lose to them back in 2006. Immediately we hope for another historic night.”Euro 2012GermanyItalyDominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk © 2012 Twitter News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Employ of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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