Germany vs Italy team news and predicted line ups | OneFootball

A place in the UEFA Nations League semi-final will be determined when Germany hosts Italy at Signal Iduna Park in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on Sunday 23rd March.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men are in the box seat after winning 2-1 in Milan earlier in the week. The game kicks off at 7:45 p.m. (UK time), but does not yet have a confirmed broadcaster in the UK.

Germany vs Italy predicted line-ups

Germany (4-2-3-1): Baumann; Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Schlotterbeck; Goretzka, Gross; Leweling, Musiala, Amiri; Kleindienst

Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Politano, Barella, Rovaella, Tonali, Udogie; Kean, Raspadori

Germany vs Italy team news

Julian Nagelsmann chose Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt over Tim Kleindienst in Milan. However, after Kleindienst’s impressive second-half performance, their roles might switch. Deniz Undav of Stuttgart is also a viable alternative.

Leon Goretzka, who was named Nagelsmann’s unofficial ‘Man of the Match’ at San Siro, is expected to start in midfield again. However, Robert Andrich and Angelo Stiller are competing with Borussia Dortmund’s Pascal Groß, who hopes to play on home soil, for a spot in the lineup.

Rotation will likely be limited due to several key absences: Kai Havertz, Benjamin Henrichs, Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Marc-André ter Stegen, and Florian Wirtz are all injured.

Italy will be without Serie A top scorer, Mateo Retegui, and preferred left wing-back, Federico Dimarco. There are also concerns about the fitness of Riccardo Calafiori.

Although the Arsenal defender completed 90 minutes on Thursday, he was seen limping afterwards following an awkward slip. As a result, Alessandro Buongiorno is on standby to start on the left side of Italy’s back three.

On a positive note for coach Luciano Spalletti, versatile wide player Andrea Cambiaso is expected to be available, and Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni will benefit from three additional days of recovery.

In midfield, Sandro Tonali is anticipated to play and has recorded two goals and two assists in seven Nations League appearances this season.

Is Tim Kleindienst Germany’s first-choice centre-forward?

Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Tim Kleindienst continues to impress, both at the club and international levels. Despite the literal translation of his name from German meaning “small service,” the 6’4″ center-forward showcases anything but small capabilities or contributions. Since joining Gladbach in the summer, he has made a strong start with 15 goals and six assists in his first 25 appearances. Only Harry Kane (21) and Patrik Schick (17) have scored more Bundesliga goals than Kleindienst’s 15. Additionally, his shooting accuracy stands at 53%, which surpasses Kane’s 48%.

When given the opportunity by Julian Nagelsmann to play for the German national team in October and November, Kleindienst made the most of it. He scored twice against Bosnia and Herzegovina during a commanding 7–0 victory—marking his first goals for Germany. He added a third goal soon after in Germany’s dramatic 2–1 comeback win over Italy in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final in Milan.

The six assists accompanying his 15 Bundesliga goals for Gladbach might suggest that he contributes beyond just scoring. However, he remains humble about his skills, stating to Kicker, “I’m not the most technically accomplished, but if you need application and intensity, I can really help.”

Ahead of Germany’s Nations League match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Julian Nagelsmann expressed his expectations for Kleindienst. He said, “I hope Tim can replicate what he did in Heidenheim and what he contributes to Gladbach. He needs to focus on scoring goals. Sometimes, he works too hard. Ultimately, we want to finish our attacks effectively.”

Against Italy, Kleindienst continued his impressive form, coming off the bench at halftime to replace Mainz star Jonathan Burkardt. Just minutes after entering the game, he scored his third goal for Germany in spectacular fashion. As Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich prepared to deliver a deep cross from the right half-space, Kleindienst recognized the opportunity and expertly split Italy’s defenders. He jumped highest to head the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma, securing an unbeatable shot into the net.