After finishing qualification on full points with ten wins from ten games, Roberto Mancini’s side are now set to prepare for UEFA EURO 2020 with a friendly against Germany on 31 March in Nuremberg. Kick-off will be at 20:45 local time. Three years since the last friendly that finished goalless in Milan, the Azzurri are set to face off against Joachim Löw’s side who also won their qualifying group and it will be the second of two important warm-up friendlies in March 2020.

Italy vs. Germany is universally recognised as a classic of the world game. The Azzurri and Mannschaft will meet for the 36th time in history. Out of 35 meetings, the Azzurri have won 15, drawn 12 and lost eight. Out of many incredible games, the ‘Match of the Century’ that finished 4-3 at the 1970 World Cup at the Azteca and the 1982 World Cup final that Italy won 3-1 at the Bernabeu spring first to mind. More recently, the semi-final in Dortmund when Grosso and Del Piero goals saw Italy win in Germany on the way to winning a fourth World Cup in 2006. There was also the EURO 2012 semi-final that was settled by a Balotelli brace while elimination at the hands of Germany at EURO 2016 in Bordeaux is the freshest and disappointing memory.

For the finals of EURO 2020, Italy are in Group A and will kick off against Turkey in Rome on 12 June in the tournament opener. Up next will be Switzerland (17 June) and Wales (21 June).