Germany vs. Italy: Key Players for Azzurri in Upset Bid

When Germany and Italy face off in the UEFA European Championships semifinals on Thursday, history will favor the Italian side, but the present will suggest that the Germans are serious favorites.

Take your pick of stats. Italy has never lost to Germany in a major tournament (three wins, four draws), while Germany heads into this match on a 15-game winning streak.

I would tend to side with the latter in the relevance department and favor Germany in this match. But Italy is certainly capable of pulling off the upset if—and it's a big if—they get big performances from several key players.

Let's take a closer look at those players and the role they'll play in this contest.

Andrea Pirlo

He's the straw that stirs the cappuccino for this Italian side. From his midfield position, Pirlo orchestrates the Azzurri's attack with his probing passes and steady presence.

He operates as the deepest player in the Italian midfield diamond, serving the duel purpose of playing in a holding, defensive position while also keying the Italian attack as it moves forward. Against Germany, that will mean he'll often find himself having to deal with Mesut Ozil, the composer of Germany's attack.

It's a clash of world-class midfielders, and one Pirlo must win if Italy hopes to advance.

Mario Balotelli

For as maddeningly inconsistent as he can be, the size and athleticism of Balotelli at striker gives the Italian side a presence they wouldn't otherwise have. When he is on top of his game, he is a pesky presence in the attacking third and a dangerous facet of Italy's counterattack.

While the Germans are likely to win possession, Italy will battle to maintain it and counter when they have the opportunity. When Balotelli's chances come, he must be more clinical than he has been throughout this tournament.

He's capable of spectacular—his goal against Ireland—and he's also capable of befuddling, as he proved when he lackadaisically botched a breakaway chance against Spain. If the spectacular Balotelli decides to show up and energizes the Italian attack, an upset isn't out of the question.

Giorgio Chiellini, Ignazio Abate and Daniele De Rossi

First, Italy's defenders Chiellini and Abate and key midfielder De Rossi must be healthy enough to play. Without either, the Italians face an even steeper challenge than Germany presents even if the Azzurri are full strength.

Against the strong German attack, having a full complement of defenders is key. But so is having De Rossi, who will be vital at winning the ball back in the midfield and helping Italy win the uphill battle of controlling possession.

Germany is the better team on paper if both sides are completely healthy. It's hard to imagine that an Italian side at less than full strength will knock off the Germans.

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