Germany v Italy Preview

I'm really looking forward to this game, although World Cup semis are usually tense affairs.

Ghastly cliché though it is, this is shaping up to be one of those "immovable object vs unstoppable force" matches -- AND SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE!!!

This one's also turning into a bit of a grudge match due to the normally staid German newspaper Der Spiegel referring to the Italians on their website as: "parasites, Mamma's boys and slimy...lazy and greasy, among other things" (oh, those Germans and their sense of humour).

Although the article was withdrawn, the Italians have reacted indignantly, Fabio Cannavaro saying: "These stereotypes applied to us come from an old culture that has been overly abused."

That's right Fabio, those stereotypes are so outdated as to be ridiculous. Italians are not the hotheaded Latin macho men of popular imagination and Der Spiegel articles.

Cue Gennaro Gattuso: "Either (the author) was beaten up by an Italian as a child or his wife is cheating on him with an Italian staIlion."

D'oh!

Back to the football. Germany will have taken huge self-belief from that penalty victory over Argentina in the quarter finals and will feel they can beat anybody -- although they are not water tight at the back, their midfield keeps creating chances for Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose. They will miss anchorman Thorsten Frings but in Sebastian Kehl they have a ready-made replacement and that should be the only change to their starting XI.

Italy have also improved with each game and have enjoyed a favourable draw at the knock-out stages so far. Although they needed a last minute penalty to deal with Australia, they were never seriously troubled by Ukraine in the last round despite a brief flurry of chances for the Ukrainians at the start of the second half. Their only injury concerns are over centre-back Alessandro Nesta (again) who should be replaced by Marco Materazzi (back from suspension). Mauro Camoranesi trained on Monday despite reportedly having a knee injury.

Question marks still remain over Francesco Totti's form and fitness and over Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni's qualities at international level but those last two proved good enough to cause the German back four problems when they last met in a friendly in Florence in March where the Azzurri routed the Nationalmannschaft 4-1.

That was the first Italy game without Totti after his ankle fracture and Alex Del Piero took his place prompting behind the front line. That was the only major difference for the Italians while the Germans had Robert Huth playing at centre back instead of Christoph Metzelder (he appeared after half time).

So the teams were largely the same but the circumstances now are very much different -- this is a newly confident German side, who also love playing in Dortmund -- of the fourteen matches the national side (including West Germany) has played there, they have never lost and only drawn once.

But the Italians boast an excellent record at the World Cup against Germany -- having never lost in four matches. Recently in friendlies the Italians have held the upper hand but this one is too close to call.

I think the game could well end up a draw at full time and the Italians had better hope that they can force a winner in extra time as the Germans have never lost a penalty shoot-out (in fact only one German has ever NOT scored in these events -- Uli Stielike back in 1982) while Italy have never won one at the World Cup.