With an outstanding first half and a trembling section in the second round against Italy, Germany brought the Nations League final four tournament into their own country on Sunday evening (March 23, 2025).
The 3: 3 (3: 0) against the Squadra Azzurra was a demonstration of the strength and a demonstration of the opponent in the first round – before the deficits became clear again when concentration and tension subsided.
Nagelsmann enthusiastic as a whole
National coach Julian Nagelsmann then said: “The difference between the two halves was that we almost only played back after the change. The first round was close to perfection, we had a lot of speed, were very aggressive. So I don’t want to talk so much about the second half. Maybe we even know that we also have a lot to do – but overall it was great.”
Kimmich, the absolutely outstanding man of both games, said at RTL: “The first half was actually very sexy, we played very quickly, Italy had almost no degrees at all. After the 1: 3 we saw that we are still very prone to errors.”
Now it’s going to Munich
Overall, however, the progress in the quarterfinals was deserved: from June 4th to 8th, Munich and Stuttgart will be concerned with the title. Germany initially meets Portugal in the semi -finals in Munich, the game for third place is played in Stuttgart, the final in Munich.
Joshua Kimmich (30th), Jamal Musiala (36th) and Tim Kleindienst (45.) scored the goals for the DFB team, Moise Kean in the 49th and 69th minute. In added time, Giacomo Raspador then scored the 3: 3 equalizer – Germany won the first leg last Thursday in Milan 2-1.
In lightning speed: pressing, ball conquest, degree
After a few seconds, it was clear to all spectators in the Dortmund stadium that the German team did not want to wait or just wanted to go to this second leg: Maximilian Mittelstädt fired the first shot right after the first combination, shortly afterwards Leon Goretzka narrowly missed Gianluigi Donnarumma.
It also quickly became apparent what national coach Julian Nagelsmann had towards his four changes: enormous intensity in the duels, a rarely seen aggressiveness, which the Italians also completely surprised.
Nico Sclotterbeck, Angelo Stiller on the six, Maximilian Mittelstädt on the left wing and Tim Kleindienst in the storm center, carried the newly into the starting eleven to an outstanding mix of high pressing, quick ball conversions and very short paths to the end: 15: 1 goal shots had collected after 30 minutes.
Donnarumma disoriented With standards
It was probably the best, and certainly the most intense, euphoric first half hour during the term of Nagelsmann. And if you looked into the faces of Schlotterbeck, Joshua Kimmich or Antonio Rüdiger for a duels, somehow you couldn’t imagine that the value of this Nation League competition was joked for years, especially in Germany.
Italy sometimes no longer came out of his own for minutes, but was still lucky that the disoriented overrun of the 1.96-hole in the Italy goal was not punished earlier, especially according to standards. It was only in the 30th minute that Donnarumma was beaten for the first time. Leon Goretzka had sent small service steeply, which made Alessandro Buongiorno loosely standing and then skillfully brought out the foul to the penalty: Kimmich converted ice cold.
A cornerball goal as a resounding slap
Even after the tour, Germany continued to put pressure on. Small service almost scored the second goal five minutes later after a brilliant Rüdiger flank, but Donnarumma steered the ball around the post. And while the Italians were still at a loss and self -petted, Kimmich had already carried out the corner: the gate was empty, Musiala had recognized the chance at lightning speed, kimmich still encouraged the ball boys – and the ball was already on the net.
The gate was perfect as a summary of the spiritual and physical condition of both teams that evening, even if it looked like pure slapstick, of course. And may not imagine how the Italian media should hang up the collective failure of their national team exactly on this goal.
Kimmich: five Torment participation in two halves
For Kimmich, the party week continued in the first half. Already in Milan he had prepared both goals in the second round, seconds before the break whistle he collected his fifth direct goal participation within 90 minutes: his chip-flanked small service headed into the goal, Donnarumma clearly reached the ball behind the goal line.
Italy reacted to the break with two changes and actually immediately came into the game better. A sloppy pass from Leroy Sané in the back of Kimmich then initiated the 1: 3, Kean gave Oliver Baumann no chance. After that, Germany got a little more control into the actions again, was significantly less aggressive, defensively lost the assignment and had hardly any final actions.
Nagelsmann wanted to sharpen the senses of his team again with a change of three, but suddenly nothing worked: Pascal Groß was too passive in a duel, Jonathan Tah let himself be rumbled by Kean – Italy was back 20 minutes before the end.
Pens are collected again – but there is still one
Complete shock rigid broke out in the 74th minute: Schlotterbeck had surrounded Giovanni di Lorenzo in the penalty area, the excellent referee Szymon Marciniak immediately pointed to the penalty point. Kean grabbed the ball, but before he could compete for the possible hat trick, the VAR – and the penalty was collected again because Schlotterbeck had probably still touched the ball minimally and di Lorenzo had already taken off his fall phase before touch.
After that, the tremor continued, but Italy no longer came to the very clear chances. In injury time it was high again: Mittelstädt went to the ball with his hand in the penalty area in the air combat – the Var Griff, Italy came to compensate with a penalty – only after almost 100 minutes was the tremor over.