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Gianluigi Buffon, former Italian national goalkeeper, sits on the bench before the start of UEFA Euro 2024 match between Croatia and Italy at Leipzig Arena. Robert Michael/dpa
Italy are not underdogs in this week's Nations League quarter-final tie with Germany, their former goalkeeper great Gianluigi Buffon has said.
"Italy have an ultra-competitive team with a smart and charismatic coach in Luciano Spalletti, and with pros who would play in any national team," Buffon told Monday's edition of German sports magazine Kicker.
The teams meet on Thursday in Milan and on Sunday in Dortmund. The winning nation will host the Final Four mini tournament in June.
Buffon, a 2006 World Cup winner who is new head the Italian nationaal team delegation, said the Azzurri have overcome a shock last 16 exit against Switzerland as title holders at Euro 2024.
The team showed that by comfortably qualifying for the Nations League quarters from a group featuring France, Belgium and Israel.
"Now we have to confirm the work of the last six months in two games against one of the strongest teams of them all," he said.
But Buffon added: "That doesn't mean we have to beat them. It means meeting at the top level and on an equal footing during the 180 minutes. That would be the most important insight. If we are still narrowly eliminated, you just have to congratulate the better team."
Italy have a good record in knock-out ties against Germany. They won the 1982 World Cup final as well as semi-finals at the World Cup in 1970 and 2006, and at Euro 2012. Germany's only win in such a tie was on penalties in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals.
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