The most tactically intriguing of the Quarter-Finals sees arguably the most impressive of the big guns so far in Italy face off with the reigning World Champions Germany. The Germans have NEVER beaten the Azzurri at a major tournament dating back to their first meeting at a World Cup Finals in 1962 and quite why the Joachim Low’s side go into this as reasonably heavy favorites is beyond me.
Antonio Conte has been flawless in this tournament so far with even the meaningless defeat to Ireland after making eight changes working to their advantage giving, as it did, the vast majority of his big guns the night off prior to their dismantling of Spain in the Round of Sixteen. The German’s struggled to break down Poland in the toughest of their games in France so far and will need to be at their best to beat the Juventus inspired ‘back four wall’ of Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini.
The absence of Thiago Motta through suspension and an injury doubt over Daniele De Rossi tempers confidence slighlty but Conte is presiding over a squad that are 100 percent ‘on message’ and I’d make this game an each of two ‘pick em’ affair so at the prices backing Italy off a level start at around the 2.75 mark is the value call.
#BestBets – Germany vs Italy = ITALY OFF LEVEL (DRAW NO BET)
Other posts by Patrick Kinghorn
