Italy is not Germany's bogeyman
despite its record of never losing to them in tournament play,
German coach Joachim Loew said Tuesday ahead of Saturday's Euro
2016 quarter-final.
Italy has beaten Germany 15 times in 33 games, with 10
draws and 8 defeats - but all the losses were in friendlies,
including the latest match, a 4-1 German win in March.
Three of Italy's best-known wins were in the World Cup - in
the 1970 and 2006 semi-finals and in the 1982 final.
They also beat Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-final.
"An Italy nightmare does not exist for Germany, Loew told a
press conference.
"The past is a warmed-up cup of coffee," he said.
"On Saturday we want to drink a just-made espresso, and we
must like it a lot".
Loew praised Italy coach Antonio Conte for the Azzurri's
all-out attacking play, abandoning their traditional
'catenaccio' and counter-attack.
"Italy is not just catenaccio and that's down to Antonio
Conte, who has realised that with catenaccio alone you don't win
a tournament," he said.
"I'm impressed by their style of play," he said,
explaining that in Monday's 2-0 last 16 defeat to the Azzurri,
"Spain didn't manage to put together offensive plays," while
Italy also has "solutions up front".
"For that reason, for me this Italy side is stronger than
2008's, 2010's and 2012's".
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