Bierhoff: ‘Italy are no longer the most feared opponents for Germany’ | OneFootball

Former Milan striker Oliver Bierhoff believes Italy are no longer Germany’s most feared opponent, despite their history of causing problems for the Mannschaft on the international stage.

As the Azzurri prepare to face Julian Nagelsmann’s side in a two-legged Nations League quarter-final, Bierhoff suggested that Luciano Spalletti’s current squad lacks the same level of quality as the Italian teams he once faced.

“Italy are no longer the most feared opponent, the bogey team,” Bierhoff told La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.

“With all due respect, but especially in 2006, the Azzurri had a different level of quality. I believe winning the 2020 Euros was a great achievement, but overall, many players today are not at the same level as those of the past.”

Biehroff: Italy had ‘so much quality’ in 2006, Conte not ‘the most pleasant’ opponent

Bierhoff acknowledged that Italy had caused Germany plenty of frustration in the past but admitted he wasn’t surprised when he was asked why they eliminated the hosts in the 2006 World Cup semifinal.

“Because they had so much quality,” he admitted.

“A team that wins even in extra time always has something extra, just like we did against Argentina in 2014. In Dortmund, we showed grit, physicality, and team spirit.

“We gave 105%. But Italy had that extra bit of finesse—just look at Del Piero’s touch.

“In the end, these are the moments that decide these matches—quality, substance, and consistency.

“We were nervous. Frings had been suspended after the quarter-final against Argentina due to video evidence, which sparked a lot of controversy.

“We all knew each other well, but the tension was too high, even in the locker room afterward—everyone was on their own. We were really down.”

BORDEAUX, FRANCE – JULY 02: Leonardo Bonucci of Italy converts the penalty to score his team’s first goal during the UEFA EURO 2016 quarter final match between Germany and Italy at Stade Matmut Atlantique on July 2, 2016 in Bordeaux, France. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

However, Germany got their revenge by knocking out Antonio Conte’s Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 after a tense penalty shootout. Bierhoff also admitted that he never found the former Azzurri coach particularly likeable.

“Another tense night, but we made it through,” he recalled.

“I have great respect for Conte—he brings incredible intensity—but as an opponent, he’s not exactly the most pleasant.

“He was the same as a player; when I faced him, he wasn’t someone you could chat with easily. In Bordeaux, we barely even looked at each other.

“On the pitch, we had more quality, but that last penalty went in strangely—soft, weak. It must have been written in the stars.”