Goretzka proves difference maker: Tactical takeaways from Germany’s win over Italy | OneFootball

After a four-month break from international football, Germany and Italy returned to action in their highly anticipated Uefa Nations League quarter-final showdown.

Ahead of the first fixture of this blockbuster two-legged tie between two heavyweights of European football, many key talking points emerged. In the build up, speculation surrounding whether Italy would play a back three and both teams’ selection issues dominated the headlines.

In a clash that was always going to be an intriguing tactical battle involving two outstanding coaches in Luciano Spalletti and Julian Nagelsmann, it certainly lived up to the billing from a strategic perspective.

Spalletti did opt for the aforementioned back three while Nagelsmann chose his base 4-2-3-1, which morphed into a host of varying shapes in possession especially. The two different formations made for a fascinating duel, which Germany ultimately won following two second-half goals.

Here are three tactical takeaways from this thriller in Milan, on a night where Germany clinched their first win on Italian soil since 1986.

Goretzka’s incisive movement

There’s no denying what a massive impact Leon Goretzka had in Die Mannschaft reigning supreme. The midfield powerhouse produced an exceptional showing in the heart of the pitch, which he fittingly capped off by scoring the winner.

Flexing his muscles both in and out of possession with his relentless energy, determination and work rate, the experienced Bayern Munich star set the tone superbly for his teammates to follow.

His role in an offensive sense was particularly notable, though, as his intelligent movement, astute positional awareness and sharp dovetailing with his colleagues were real highlights.

Goretzka was instrumental towards Germany controlling the game in possession for large periods. The way he dropped back to form a there-chain in build-up with Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Tah gave Die Mannschaft a strong platform to dictate proceedings.

Not only did this give Germany a 3v2 numerical superiority to beat Italy’s first line of pressure comfortably, but it also gave them the structural security to allow the full-backs to push on knowing coverage was present.

From this post, Goretzka could also drive upfield and provoke an Azzurri midfielder to harry him. This opened up space between the lines for the likes of Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala and Jonathan Burkardt to exploit to be accessed directly or via a third-man combination.

The 30-year-old crucially mixed things up by occupying more advanced zones, with either full-back or Pascal Gross moving instead to still form the 3v2. This gave Goretzka the freedom to get dangerous higher up and to embark on his trademark surges into the box.

Bursting forward a lot more in the second stanza, this handed Germany some extra impetus, with Goretzka notably being in the box to create the 3v2 overload inside the area that Tim Kleindienst capitalised on to score Germany’s leveller.

The fiercely competitive dynamo’s brains and brawn were on full display for his team’s winner. Goretzka attacked the front post with gusto to get the jump on Alessandro Bastoni before masterfully glancing his header home to round out a classy set-piece routine, and overall performance.

Italy’s right

Another interesting tactical storyline arose from Italy’s mechanics down their right, which supplemented Sandro Tonali’s barnstorming down left and left-of-centre areas. Nicolo Barella, Giacomo Raspadori and Matteo Politano were a constant thorn in the side of Germany.

Performing shrewdly executed rotations to destabilise and manipulate their markers, the midfield’s interchanging ensured they successfully altered reference points and frequently asked questions of who should be marking who in what area.

A testament to the effectiveness of this avenue of attack came for Italy’s goal, which saw Raspadori drop into midfield to take Barella’s post. Politano then ventured infield to occupy Raspadori’s attacking station, while Barella peeled wide into Politano’s wing-back slot.

Bastoni’s brilliant cross-field switch to Barella then really breathed life into the passage to generate a 2v1 with the Inter Milan hotshot and Politano against David Raum. Upon bringing the ball down, Barella duly obliged Politano’s excellent run in behind. The Napoli ace’s cutback into the danger zone was subsequently converted with aplomb by the marauding Tonali.

While not all of their interchanging followed this exact permutation, thus conjuring additional confusion for their adversaries, this method bore fruit for Spalletti’s team on many occasions. It was just a shame they couldn’t get at Germany more often using it due to them only having 41% possession.

Germany’s fluid frontline

The challenge Germany’s fluid frontline posed to Italy was one that persistently kept them on their toes. Led by immensely gifted raumdeuter Musiala, Germany’s front four of Burkardt, Sane, Nadiem Amiri and Musiala consistently swapped positions, meaning they could regularly get free, manufacture overloads and wreak havoc in advantageous central areas.

It was impressive how Germany coalesced to give the ball holder viable options to progress through the thirds, attentive to gaps in Italy’s structure and when passing lanes opened up.

So good at pinning and drawing trackers to create space for one another and using slick opposite movements (just like Sane and Kleindienst did in the lead-up to their opener) to threaten either side of the Italian rearguard, they did a wonderful job of granting each other the separation to shine.

Moreover, the fact they were typically within reasonably close proximity compounded problems for the Italians, meaning they could rotate sharply and seamlessly to elevate their nuisance for their foes.

Second leg awaits

All eyes now turn to what looms as a captivating second leg in Dortmund. Germany will be eager to carry their momentum from their accomplished second half, while Italy will be looking to come out swinging to immediately silence the home crowd and pile the pressure on Nagelsmann’s team.