Germany vs Italy

• dragg

  27 Jun 12, 09:18

  the germans will win this. the italians are good in this tournament but they lack a real finisher.
• dragg

  28 Jun 12, 09:29

  For better or for curse... LUKAS PODOLSKI vowed to help Germany break their Italy curse in Warsaw tomorrow. STRIKER looked back on the Euro 2012 quarter-finals and said: I’m confident of glory Follow The Sun on Twitter The two nations have met seven times in major tournaments — and the Germans have won NONE of them. But Arsenal’s £11million new-boy Podolski roared: “We will break the Italy curse. “There are opponents that are the most feared ones but we want to reach the final and hopefully Italy’s run ends with us.� Striker Podolski is one of five survivors in the current squad from the two countries’ last meeting, when the Azzurri won 2-0 in a 2006 World Cup semi-final. Skipper Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker were also there as the Germans crashed out on home soil and Italy went on to win the World Cup for a fourth time. And Klose remembers well how Andrea Pirlo broke German hearts in Dortmund. The Italian playmaker’s pass two minutes from the end of extra time set up Fabio Grosso to score the first of two late goals. Striker Klose — who now plays his club football in Serie A for Lazio — said: “I remember well Pirlo’s pass and Grosso’s shot inside the far post. “But that was six years ago, we’ve had time to digest it. “We both have some players remaining but we are both different sides now.� Pirlo, 33, ran England ragged in their quarter-final victory on Sunday night, yet he was let go by AC Milan and almost written off just 12 months ago. And German boss Joachim Low admits the Juventus star is the man his side will need to find a way of stopping tomorrow night. Low said: “Pirlo wasn’t just good against England, he has excelled in all their games. “Pirlo is going through something like a renaissance after some people may have thought he was over the hill. “He’s a genius strategist — he plays the ball where it hurts the opponent. “We’ll talk to our players, give them some jobs to stop him.� most. “It is something we have to nip in the bud. There is no point man-marking him, that would be useless as he drops very deep at times and he is able to lob balls over our defence. “But needless to say we will raise Pirlo, and the role he has played, in the team-talk and we will find ways and means to stop him.� “We know where the Italian weaknesses are and we’ll try to take advantage.� Germany are certainly in the mood to end their Italian hoodoo. Low’s side are in the semi-finals for the fourth straight major tournament after losing to Spain in both the Euro 2008 final and the 2010 World Cup semis — and they have put together a red-hot run of 15 straight wins in competitive matches. But big-tournament clashes between the two countries have a habit of turning into classics, starting with Italy’s 4-3 win in the 1970 World Cup semi-final. The two sides shared five goals in a frantic 17-minute spell in extra time in Mexico City. Italian legend Gianni Rivera finally grabbed the winner while Germany skipper Franz Beckenbauer played on with a dislocated arm strapped to his side. Locals later erected a plaque at the Aztec Stadium commemorating the thriller as ‘the match of the century’. Twelve years later Italy beat the Germans again, this time 3-1 in the World Cup final in Spain. Germany did have the satisfaction of knocking the Italians out of Euro 96 thanks to a goalless draw at Old Trafford. But 10 years on from that, they suffered again at the hands of their great rivals as those two late goals by Grosso and Alessandro del Piero grabbed victory in another World Cup semi. from the sun
• dragg

  28 Jun 12, 09:38

  isnt it amazing germany has never defeated italy in a major tournament? but i believe the curse will end tomorrow. the current italy are good but not good enough as compared to the current german team. but then i still hope italy wins.
• Darkknighthuang

  28 Jun 12, 09:50

  My prediction is 0-0 and Italy will win on penalties.

• Paem

  29 Jun 12, 03:09

  Balotelli really cmi. His first touch damn terrible.
• Paem

  29 Jun 12, 03:11

  Balatolli scores. Superb cross by cassano
• Paem

  29 Jun 12, 03:30

  Balatolli scores. Italy 2 up. Stupid to get yellow card for taking off is jersey. Let's hope he won't get another. Germany lots of chances but just can't score. The German woman cried when Italy scored their second goal. The German goalie look amateur.
• I-like-flings(m)

  29 Jun 12, 03:42

  wait he get a 2nd yellow card... then kena red card and missed the final.. then i will laugh.........

• Poolman

  29 Jun 12, 05:05

  Another famous night for the Italians .

  The Germans still cannot beat them .

  Today Italy played like all players on steroid .

  Lungs like made of steel .

  Pirlo , despite his age , he can still last the whole game , superb .

  The better team won .

  And i told my friend , those who beaten Germans , they deserve to be Champions !

• Poolman

  29 Jun 12, 05:06

  Yup , Bellatoli was like possessed .

  Looked at his second goal , scary .

• I.imba

  29 Jun 12, 05:07

  Germany seriously let me down xia. see that group games, all damn zai one.

  Then today finish cmi, then defence also cmi, later the midfield also cmi liao...

   

• Poolman

  29 Jun 12, 05:07

  Spain vs Italy ?

  I am going for Italy this round .

  If Spain are to play Italy like the way they played against Portugal , they are looking for trouble .

   

• I.imba

  29 Jun 12, 05:09

  Spain vs Italy again, wow second time they will face each other this euro.

  I dun predict a high score, but lets see how Italy try to bypass Spain's midfield and how Spain try to control with their 6 man midfield

• Poolman

  29 Jun 12, 05:09

  Jochim Loew also one kind , dunno why he took out Gomez ?

  And keep Moeller on the bench ?

  At that point . . . u need three tower strikers , and with experiences . Reus dun have that experience needed .

  Gomez , Klose and Moeller will be good .

   

   

• Poolman

  29 Jun 12, 05:12

  Spain ..... this championship , they played like 4-6-0 .

  With Fabregas coming from deep .

  This Spain also one kind , dun understand why never played Llorente at any big game at all ? Torres understood , too tired perhaps , but Llorente ?

  And he should stop playing too congested midfield .

• Poolman

  29 Jun 12, 05:13

  Finally coming to an end ....

  I just love Euro Championship , so much better than World Cup .

   

• I.imba

  29 Jun 12, 05:18

  Today Gomez very quite leh. He is under heavy marking from Italy, but then his team still pass him all sort of balls, of course cant expect much from him under this kind of condition.

  I didnt realise Muller wasnt playing, until he was subed in. Why he didnt start feels like a mystery to me.

   

  I thought Llorente played half a game against Portugal then kena sub from no performance?

  Maybe Torres will start? or it will be the damn 4-6-0 again.

  But the battle between Pirlo and Xavi should be interesting though