magik9113 wrote:No_20 wrote:magik9113 wrote:but seriously, the fact that everyone seems to be only just hyping up this Germany taboo vs Italy is going to make me bet serious money on Germany beating us this summer if/when we play. It isn't as if this wasn't a fact in 2012 when no one was talking about it
Not true. It was very much a talking point in Germany before the 2012 SF. People wanted you to lose to England, because Germany has a much better record against them in tournaments.
But tbf I think 2012 was the first time that you were clear underdogs against Germany. In 06' you had a much better team on paper than Germany, the only thing that made that game even was the home field advantage.
I mean you arent some tinpot nation. The only teams who have a dominant record against you are Croatia and Brazil.
I don't remember all the hype back then, maybe it was more apparent in Germany. I do remember constantly hearing about, IIRC, back in '06 how the Germans never lost in Dortmund.
in 2012 we were underdogs but the way people [mostly germans] speak about it they make it seem like we were as bad as we are now. this is a very good lineup:
Gianluigi Buffon; Federico Balzaretti, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini; Andrea Pirlo; Claudio Marchisio, Riccardo Montolivo, Daniele De Rossi; Mario Balotelli, Antonio Cassano.
in 2012 Cassano, Montolivo, Balotelli, Pirlo, De Rossi were all world class players...Juve's 3 defenders plus buffon what more do I need to say about them...Marchisio as well. Balzaretti was aight.
Meanwhile you guys started Podolski and Gomez
It gets brought up on our end just about every time we play you. Don't remember how it was in the english-language press, but your record against us was often brought up in the german papers in the lead-up to both the 2012 & '06 match-ups.