Sun Mar 23 20:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Germany Confident Ahead of Nations League Clash Against Italy
**Dortmund, Germany** – Germany is brimming with confidence as they prepare to face Italy in the second leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion on Sunday. Riding the wave of renewed national support sparked by their recent Euro 2024 performance, the German team aims to secure their place in the semi-finals for the first time.
Germany holds a 2-1 advantage following a comeback victory in the first leg in Milan. Goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, speaking alongside coach Julian Nagelsmann, emphasized the team’s intention to leverage the positive momentum and the passionate home crowd. “I hope the fans in this stadium help us, support us, and make it extremely difficult for the Italians,” Baumann stated. He highlighted the significant uptick in team spirit in recent months, attributing it to the improved performance at Euro 2024.
The 82,000-capacity Westfalenstadion is expected to play a crucial role, with Baumann noting its intimidating atmosphere: “It can develop a powerful force. It can be very loud and it can carry a team. It can be extremely unpleasant for an opposing team.” While acknowledging the stadium’s history, including Italy’s 2006 World Cup semi-final victory there, Nagelsmann focused on the present, stating, “It’s important for us to make our own history.”
Italy’s manager, Luciano Spalletti, echoed the sentiment, acknowledging the need to move past past defeats and focus on securing a win in Dortmund. He believes his team can significantly improve on their first-leg performance.
Despite their lead, Nagelsmann adopted a pragmatic approach, declaring that his team would approach the match as if the score were 0-0. While praising Baumann’s performance in Milan, he confirmed that Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains the first-choice goalkeeper upon his full recovery. The availability of striker Jonathan Burkardt, however, remains uncertain due to illness.
First Piper 