Italy take on the visitors Germany in the first leg of UEFA Nations League quarterfinals. The match will be played on Thursday, March 20th at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) (Milan).
Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but under Roberto Mancini, they quickly corrected their mistakes, culminating in their triumph at Euro 2020. However, that success was followed by another World Cup qualification failure and struggles in the 2022 qualifying campaign. The arrival of Luciano Spalletti was expected to bring new energy, but inconsistency remained a problem. Italy secured direct qualification for Euro 2024, advancing from the group stage thanks to a victory over Albania and a last-gasp equalizer against Croatia in the 98th minute. However, they were convincingly knocked out in the Round of 16 by Switzerland (0-2). A surge of optimism came when they started the Nations League with a stunning 3-1 away win over France, followed by a solid 2-2 draw against Belgium. However, a recent loss to France in the final group match saw Les Bleus edge them out for the top spot on head-to-head criteria, despite both finishing with 13 points.
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Germany under their current coach is winning over many fans. The German national team had been in a slump ever since winning the 2014 World Cup. Hansi Flick failed to rejuvenate the squad, leading to a disastrous World Cup campaign in Qatar and an eventual dismissal after poor results in friendlies ahead of the home Euros. Julian Nagelsmann also had a rocky start, but he learned from early setbacks and managed to reshape the Mannschaft into a dynamic and exciting side. They were eliminated only by an exceptional Spanish team, who needed extra time to defeat them in the quarterfinals. After the tournament, several key veterans retired, with Manuel Neuer opting against a return even after Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury. Despite these changes, Germany remained strong in the autumn, with only two draws against the Netherlands and Hungary, both away, while comfortably finishing atop their Nations League group. Their 4-1 win over Austria in their latest match highlighted their attacking strength.
Germany has gone unbeaten in their last six meetings with Italy. Their most recent encounter, in the Nations League, ended in a commanding 5-2 victory for Die Mannschaft. This matchup is seen as fairly balanced, making “Both Teams to Score” a promising betting option.
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes.
