Italy vs Germany prediction: EUROPE: UEFA Nations League – League A – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-03-19 19:45.
[p]The UEFA Nations League (UNL) expanding to include quarter-finals has given Italy a chance at glory after they could only finish second in Group 2 behind France (W4, D1, L1). They’re unseeded for this clash with fellow big hitters Germany so will host the first leg at the iconic San Siro, as the Azzurri chase a third successive progression into the finals of this competition.[/p]
[p]To do that, they’ll have to arrest an alarming run of H2H form that’s seen them fail to win any of the six meetings since Euro 2012 (D3, L3), with that run including two matches in the previous UNL cycle (D1, L1). That sequence has at least seen Italy avoid defeat each time they were hosts, but a 3-1 reversal to France on this ground in November indicates they certainly aren’t imperious on home turf.[/p]
[p]Germany are gathering pace under Julian Nagelsmann, with their only loss since the start of 2024 coming in last summer’s Euros against eventual winners Spain (W10, D4). They sailed through Group 3 to progress beyond the group stage of the UNL for the first time (W4, D2), eye-catchingly beating Bosnia & Herzegovina 7-0 and Hungary 5-0 along the way.[/p]
[p]Nagelsmann will hope to leverage that confidence here to become the first Germany manager to oversee an away H2H win since Franz Beckenbauer in 1986! Germany may well be searching for a new hero to make that a reality as their squad remains decimated by injuries, with Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz one of a number of high-profile absentees. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Minutes may have been hard to come by at club level for Davide Frattesi of late, but he starred in the UNL group stage by scoring three times for Italy, with each goal helping the Azzurri to victory. Fresh from signing a contract extension at Bayern Munich, Germany captain Joshua Kimmich will look to lead his side to more H2H success, having scored home and away against Italy in the previous UNL cycle.[/p]
[p]Hot streak: Italy have failed to score before half-time in each of the last five H2Hs.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher[/i][/p]