Germany coach not afraid of old foe Italy

Jun 28, 2016 - 10:36 PM EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France, June 28 AP - For Germany coach Joachim Loew, all of his country's previous failures to beat Italy at a major tournament will count for nothing when the two sides meet in the quarter-finals of the European Championship.

"We have no Italy-trauma, because it's a different team now and there are always different factors at play," Loew said Tuesday at the team's tournament base at Evian-les-Bains.

"So I think nothing of things that are dragged in from the past. It's cold coffee. We prefer a fresh espresso. We have to make sure it tastes very good on Saturday."

Loew's biggest disappointment in almost 10 years in charge came in the semi-finals four years ago, when Italy forward Mario Balotelli struck twice in Warsaw to knock his side out with a 2-1 defeat.

The loss still hangs over the Germany coach, though he said it also helped him lead the side to World Cup success in Brazil in 2014.

"As a coach I thought about it. What happened? What mistakes were made? And for me personally, this loss - which was painful, which hurt me very much - it helped me in 2014 with certain decisions at the tournament.

Of eight meetings between the countries at tournaments, starting with a goal-less draw at the 1962 World Cup in Chile, Germany has won none. Now Germans call Italy their "Angstgegner" or "feared opponent".

But Loew believes the quarter-final game in Bordeaux will be close.

Germany can take hope from its 4-1 friendly defeat of Italy in Munich on March 29. It was Germany's biggest win over its old rival and its first in more than 20 years

"We're not afraid of Italy. We have trust in our own performance levels and if we deliver them then we have good chances of winning the game," Loew said.

Italy impressed in a disciplined and tenacious performance to eliminate two-time defending champion Spain with a 2-0 victory on Monday.

Source: AAP