After beating Spain, Italy now face an even tougher task as they take on Germany in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals. Still, it would be foolish to discount the Azzurri...and here are a couple of reasons why.

It was a match that was bound to happen at some point.

Given their illustrious histories, and positions as two of the biggest footballing nations in the world, it is hard to imagine any international tournament that would not feature an interesting tussle between Germany and Italy. No, we did not see this at the past two World Cups, but then again, the Azzurri endured a terrible campaign in both that saw them dumped out at the group stages.

Die Mannschaft and Italy did meet at Euro 2012, which was the eighth competitive match-up between these two familiar foes. And later today, we all will witness the ninth clash as each vie for a coveted spot in the Euro 2016 semi-finals.

Germany come into this game as the reigning world champions, whilst Italy have yet to reach the same heights after winning the same title back in 2006. Many would say it's advantage Germany, but it would be quite foolish to totally discount the wily Italians, and below you will find some reasons why.

A strong team spirit

Team spirit. It's a phrase that is used way too often and to be honest, has become quite hackneyed, trite, and frankly, cliché. However, one cannot ignore that it definitely serves as a driving force behind success, and Italy are a perfect example of this at this tournament.

We got a glimpse of this against Belgium, and again, versus Spain. The Azzurri certainly do not have an Eden Hazard or Kevin De Bruyne. They definitely do not have an Andres Iniesta or Cesc Fabregas. And if we are talking about a truly talismanic attacker, there is no Gareth Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo within their ranks.

But what Antonio Conte's side do have is self-belief and great unity. Despite the absence of any superstars within their ranks, Italy have shown that the power of the collective can trump the threat of individual stars, and they will definitely be using that as they take on Germany later today.

Emanuele Giaccherini, Giorgio Chiellini, and Eder celebrate Chiellini's goal against Spain in the round of 16. All three men have scored for Italy so far at Euro 2016

So far, Italy have scored five goals at this tournament. Only Southampton's Graziano Pelle has netted more than once, with the three coming from the above trio of players in the photo: Giorgio Chiellini, Emanuele Giaccherini, and Eder.

Germany's Italian hoodoo

Here's a stat that may surprise many: Germany have never beaten Italy in a competitive fixture. Yes, they thrashed the Azzurri 4-1 this past March - but that was in a friendly. Both sides are among the most decorated in the world - with eight World Cups and three Euro titles between them - but die Mannschaft have a record of four losses and four draws in their last eight competitive meetings.

That's right. Zero wins. And if you are an Italy fan, this will surely bring on a smug smile, but if you support Germany, this will definitely make the stomach churn: Germany have lost every single one of their past four knockout matches. This dates back to the semi finals of the 1970 World Cup, and concludes with the semi-finals of Euro 2012. In between those include the 1982 World Cup final and the 2006 World Cup semi-finals.

Yes, Italy's offense may not be the best, but watch out for that defense...

If you're a Serie A fan, then you already know about Juventus's defensive trio: Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, and Giorgio Chiellini. Some even call them La Vecchia Signora's own "BBC". Under Antonio Conte, the Bianconeri converted to a three man back-line, and it has paid off with fantastic results as Juventus have now re-established themselves as the no. 1 side in Italy. 

Juve's "BBC" (with Barzagli in the middle) have been crucial in La Vecchia Signora re-claiming their spot as the top team in Italian football...

...and the Bianconeri trio continue to impress this summer in France

So, it is no surprise that with Conte on the tactician's bench, Italy have stuck to that same concept of three men at the back. Yes, some may argue that Germany's defense is superior given that they have conceded zero goals so far.

Italy, by contrast, have conceded one. However, against Ireland, Conte opted to field a second-string side. One member of the "BBC" - Chiellini - was not on the pitch as he was replaced by West Ham's Angelo Ogbonna, which disrupted the harmony that we usually see when all three are in action. Furthermore, Salvatore Sirigu, Italy's no. 2 man, was the one between the posts - not Gianluigi Buffon.

And finally, Germany have yet to be tested at this tournament. Their group was comprised of Poland, Ukraine, and Northern Ireland - who were making their Euro debut. Without sounding disrespectful to Northern Ireland - who put up a good fight - only Poland really appeared on paper to be any serious threat to die Mannschaft topping their quartet. As a result of finishing as the no. 1 seed, they got Slovakia in the round of 16, a team that despite doing pretty decently in their group, were going to be no match for the three-time Euro winners.

Italy by contrast, had a much trickier group. Some even called it the "Group of Death", with Belgium, Sweden, and the Republic of Ireland for company. They still managed to win it, despite losing to Ireland on matchday three. One would think that as a result, they would have received an "easier" draw in the round of 16. But because Croatia upset the apple cart by beating Spain to top their group, the Azzurri instead ended up with La Furia Roja instead of the Vatreni as their next opponent.

To keep Spain from scoring is no easy feat, but they did, and that was down to the strength of not just the "BBC" but also the evergreen Gigi Buffon.

Age is nothing but a number...Buffon is still going strong

At 38, one would certainly forgive if Gianluigi Buffon was getting ready to kick back and relax. After all, he has already established himself as one of the top shot-stoppers in the world - and cemented his place among the all-time greats.

However, the Juventus skipper has shown no signs of slowing down. This past season saw him break the long-standing record for minutes without conceding in Serie A, and now the new one stands at a whopping 974 minutes. It's safe to say that that does not look like anyone will break that anytime soon - unless if next term Buffon tops his own very best.

At Euro 2016, he has kept three clean sheets and made eight key saves, but arguably his best performance was during the round of 16 tie with Spain, where he made some saves that defied his advancing years. If he can repeat this against Germany, the Azzurri

Buffon has arguably been the MVP for Italy thus far at Euro 2016 and continues to lead by example

But you can't have a successful team without a brilliant tactician, and that brings us to our final point:

A keen tactical mind

Serie A followers already know about Antonio Conte's excellent tactical acumen, and now the rest of the world has had a chance to see the former Juventus midifelder in action. Italy's top display against Belgium was a clear-cut case of Conte outwitting former adversary Marc Wilmots, and he pulled off the same masterstroke to dispatch Spain.

Chelsea fans will surely be excited to have him on the tactician's bench for the upcoming season. When he arrived at Juventus back in the the 2011/2012 season, the Bianconeri were floundering and watching the two Milan clubs reign supreme. By the time he departed three terms later, he had guided them back to the pinnacle of Italian football and laid down the blueprint for current coach Massimiliano Allegri to continue developing the team.

Can Conte outwit yet another top manager later today as Italy take on Joachim Low's Germany?

So, will team unity, the "BBC", Buffon, a historical head-to-head advantage, and Conte's tactical nous be enough to topple Germany?

We will all find out in a few hours at the Stade de Bordeaux. But one thing is certain: die Mannschaft will be wise not to underestimate the Azzurri!

 

Match details, result and original broadcast info

Germany P1 - 1 Italy

July 2, 2016 3:00pmNouveau Stade Bordeaux

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

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