Nations League: Everything Italy should know about Germany | OneFootball

Italy have been drawn against Germany in the Nations League quarter-finals, which will take place in March 2025. Here is everything the Azzurri should know about the EURO 2024 hosts and their run of form over the last three international breaks.

Germany’s Nations League form

Germany qualified for the quarter-finals as winners of the League A group 2.

Julian Nagelsmann and his team finished the group stages undefeated with four victories and two draws over their last six matches in a group that also contained the Netherlands, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

No side in the ‘A’ League groups scored more goals than Germany (18) in the first stage of the tournament. A 5-0 victory over Hungary in their first fixture of the campaign and a 7-0 thrashing of Bosnia and Herzegovina, both on home soil, were major contributing factors.

Germany’s Nations League results

Germany 5-0 Hungary (September 7)

Netherlands 2-2 Germany (September 10)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Germany (October 11)

Germany 1-0 Netherlands (October 14)

Germany 7-0 Bosnia and Hersegovina (November 16)

Hungary 1-1 Germany (November 19)

When did Germany last lose?

Die Mannschaft have only lost once this calendar year: A 2-1 defeat against the eventual champions Spain in the EURO 2024 quarter-final.

Antonio Rudiger of Germany and Tim Kleindienst of Germany celebrate another goal during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A3 match between Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Europa-Park Stadion on November 16, 2024 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)

2024 has been a turnaround year for the Germany national team, following a disastrous outing at the 2022 World Cup, which saw them dumped out at the group stage, to the benefit of Japan and Spain.

2023 was also not the most encouraging year in terms of results either, as the four-time World Cup champions fell to defeats against the likes of Belgium, Poland, Colombia, Japan, Türkiye and Austria. They were also held to draws by Ukraine and Mexico.

What should Italy expect from Germany?

With four months to go until the next international break, it is impossible to predict which players may or may not be fit and available to play in the quarter-finals just yet. Julian  Nagelsmann’s settled system does give some clues as to how Germany could line up against Italy, though.

The coach has lined his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in every one of their games this calendar year.

The attacking three behind the centre-forward tends to focus around either or both of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala in a relatively narrow structure.

Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, Manchester City’s Ilkay Gündogan and Denis Undav of VfB Stuttgart have also been tested in the central advanced midfield role this year, while Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Julian Brandt and Jamie Leweling also provide the option to play with more ‘traditional’ wingers.

Robert Andrich of Bayer Leverkusen has become a mainstay in the double-pivot. Pascal Groß is also a regular in that position, while Felix Nmecha, Angelo Stiller and Aleskandar Pavlovic have also been tested in the Nations League group stages.

As it was during the EUROs, Antonio Rüdiger and Jonathan Tah remain the first-choice centre-back pairing.

Alexander Nübel and Oliver Baumann have shared the no.1 jersey across the Nations League campaign so far.

When will Italy play against Germany?

The UEFA Nations League quarter-finals are scheduled to take place during the next international break, in March 2025.

Specifically, Italy’s two-legged quarter-final against Germany will take place on Thursday March 20 and Sunday March 23, 2025.

Italy will be at home in the first fixture and travel to Germany for the second.