Nagelsmann´s Germany ´want to write our own history´

Julian Nagelsmann is not focused on the past as his Germany team aim to make their own history against Italy.

Germany claimed a 2-1 win over Italy at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Thursday, with Leon Goretzka completing a turnaround victory.

Prior to this Nations League quarter-final tie, Germany and Italy had met five times in the knockout stages of major tournaments.

Germany progressed just once from those ties, and their defeats included a heartbreaking loss at home in the 2006 World Cup.

Nagelsmann referenced that defeat in his second-leg pre-match media conference, but insisted the focus is not on making amends for previous defeats to the Azzurri.

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“I remember 2006 and I’m still not happy that Germany didn’t win,” he said.

“But for me it’s more important to talk about the present and not the past. We want to write our own history.

“I’m not afraid of the Italians’ speed. We’re in a good mood, we’re awake.

“We have good solutions for this game and then it will be important that we create chances.”

Italy had 13 shots to Germany’s 10 in the first leg, though Nagelsmann’s team created slightly better chances, finishing with a higher expected goals figure (1.0 to 0.87).

Coach Luciano Spalletti, though, believes Italy will have better luck should they match the same levels that they showed on Thursday.

He said: “We’re going to try and do the same things from the start, I’m convinced that, if we manage to have the same behaviour as Thursday, the result will be different.

“It will take something extraordinary because we’re starting from a disadvantage, but we need another performance like Thursday’s. We don’t need to invent the impossible.

“We just need to change a few moments in the game and have some individuals make a difference.”