Italy vs. Germany: Suspense Builds for Epic World Cup Qualifier

MILAN, Italy — Italy and Germany will clash Thursday at Stadio San Siro in a high-stakes World Cup qualifying match, marking their first face-off since June 2022. The match is pivotal to both teams’ aspirations, with Italy aiming to overcome a recent streak of underwhelming performances against their German rivals.

Italy, under the guidance of coach Luciano Spalletti, appeared poised for a strong finish to a tough Group A2 but faltered on the last matchday. Their hopes of finishing at the top came to an abrupt end when France delivered a 3-1 defeat at the same venue, leaving Italy in second place.

Despite this setback, Italy has claimed a spot in the playoffs for the third consecutive time, having previously struggled to progress beyond the semi-finals. They have faced a daunting challenge recently, as they failed to beat Germany in any of their last six encounters, recording three draws and three losses.

Before Thursday’s match, Italy’s home form raised concerns; they managed only a single point from two home games in the group stage after a dominating 4-1 win over Israel. While they are historically strong at home, their most recent performances suggest a need to improve in front of their fans.

In contrast, Germany arrives in Milan with renewed confidence following a remarkable qualifying campaign under coach Julian Nagelsmann. With an unbeaten streak of 14 matches since the beginning of 2024, which included ten wins and only four draws, the German squad is eager to change their historical misfortunes against Italy.

Germany’s last victory in Italy dates back to 1986, and they suffered a controversial elimination in the EURO 2024 quarter-finals at the hands of Spain. However, they demonstrated their attacking prowess during the group stages, amassing an impressive 18 goals. Their confidence is palpable as they prepare for this matchup.

In terms of injuries, Italy will be without Inter wingback Federico Dimarco, while Andrea Cambiasso’s status remains uncertain. As a result, Destiny Udogie is expected to fill in at left-back. Italy’s attacking options may pivot to Moise Kean, given Mateo Retegui’s departure due to injury.

Germany, on the other hand, will miss playmaker Florian Wirtz and striker Kai Havertz. Julian Nagelsmann is likely to field a lineup that includes Borussia Monchengladbach’s Kleindienst and Mainz’s Nadir Amiri, who returns to the squad after a four-year absence.

The anticipated lineups include: Italy (3-5-2) — Gianluigi Donnarumma; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Buongiorno, Alessandro Bastoni; Matteo Politano, Nicolò Barella, Nicolò Rovella, Sandro Tonali, Destiny Udogie; Giacomo Raspadori, Moise Kean. Germany (4-2-3-1) — Alexander Nubel; Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rudiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Maximilian Mittelstadt; Julian Andrich, Florian Gross; Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Karim Adeyemi; Kleindienst.

As both teams prepare for this critical qualifying match, the atmosphere in Milan is charged with anticipation. The outcome could set the tone for the remaining fixtures as both nations aim for a deeper run in their quest for World Cup glory.