The expansion of the UEFA Nations League (UNL) to include quarter-finals has given Italy a shot at redemption after finishing second in Group 2 behind France (W4, D1, L1). As an unseeded team, the Azzurri will host the first leg of their showdown with Germany at the iconic San Siro, aiming to reach the tournament’s finals for the third consecutive time.
To do so, Italy must overcome a troubling head-to-head record, having failed to win any of their last six meetings with Germany since Euro 2012 (D3, L3). That run includes two encounters in the previous UNL cycle (D1, L1). While they’ve managed to avoid defeat at home during this sequence, a recent 3-1 loss to France at this very stadium suggests they are far from invincible in Milan.
Germany, meanwhile, have been in formidable form under Julian Nagelsmann, suffering just one defeat since the start of 2024—a loss to eventual champions Spain in last summer’s Euros (W10, D4). Their UNL campaign saw them dominate Group 3 (W4, D2), highlighted by emphatic wins such as a 7-0 thrashing of Bosnia & Herzegovina and a 5-0 rout of Hungary.
Nagelsmann will be eager to build on that momentum and guide Germany to their first away win against Italy since Franz Beckenbauer’s tenure in 1986. However, injuries continue to trouble the squad, with playmaker Florian Wirtz among several high-profile absentees.
Players to Watch:
Despite limited club minutes recently, Davide Frattesi was a standout performer for Italy in the group stage, scoring three crucial goals that directly contributed to Azzurri victories. For Germany, captain Joshua Kimmich—fresh off signing a new contract with Bayern Munich—will look to inspire his team to more H2H success, having netted in both meetings during the last UNL cycle.
Hot Streak:
Italy have failed to score before half-time in each of their last five encounters with Germany.
