Germany out to end Italy dreams

Sami khedira, Germany

Germany hope to end their competitive win-less run against Italy when the two meet in the Euro 2012 semifinal on Thursday in Warsaw.

Italy come into this penultimate stage clash with a competitive record of four draws and three wins over Germany.

Meanwhile Germany is out to end their semifinal heartache against Italy after the latter beat them twice in previous competitive semifinal meetings, both at the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and 1970.

Their last Euro final meeting was in England in 1996 that ended scoreless at Old Trafford in the preliminary group stage.

German coach Joachim Loew says the record three-time champions must rise to the occasion and take the game to Italy.

“We want to try to enforce our rhythm on Italy,” Loew said with memories also still fresh of the 1-1 draw with Azzurri in a friendly on February 9, 2011 in Dortmund.

“It will be important to seize the initiative and try to force Italy to drop deep with our game. We want to act not react.”

However, Italy is playing about their best football since the 1994 FIFA World Cup, led by Euro 2012 player of the tournament contender Andrea Pirlo.

Pirlo, who has been pulling the strings for Italy at Euro 2012, said he is confident that the 1968 winners will roll-over the three-time European kings.

“We have watched all of Germany’s matches. They are a great side with the right mentality, and in the last few years they have been in six semi-finals,” the Juventus midfielder said.

“We studied them, but we know we can beat them. We will try to impose our game on them the way we did on England, although it will definitely be a different match as Germany will try to play openly.”

Meanwhile, Germany’s top scorer and striker Mario Gomez who has three goals in four games will be tested against Italy’s veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Buffon has conceded just three goals in open play at the tournament so far.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli on the other hand will be banking on his mercurial attacking duo of Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano to break German hearts.