Germany manager Joachim Low has shrugged off suggestions that his side suffer from an "Italy complex" ahead of their Euro 2016 quarter-final against the Azzurri.

Die Mannschaft are among the most successful international teams in world football, but they have never overcome Italy at a major tournament.

The latest of their meetings came in the semi-finals four years ago, but Low insists that his world champions are not afraid of Antonio Conte's side.

"I am not a fan of digging things up from the past. We don't have an Italy complex. This is cold coffee. I prefer a fresh espresso, and we need to make sure it tastes good on Saturday," Low told reporters.

"[Defeat at Euro 2012] hurt me an awful lot, but it was a good lesson and also helped me in my personal development. As a coach I thought about it. What happened? What mistakes were made? It helped me in 2014 with certain decisions at the tournament. You can always make a mistake as a player or a coach.

"It will be an incredibly tough match against the Italians. They are not only focused on the defence, but are also strong in attack. It will be a very tight match, and the outcome is relatively open. We are not afraid of Italy. We have trust in our own performance levels and if we deliver them, then we have good chances of winning the game."

Germany have reached at least the last four of every major international tournament since 2004.

Written by
Barney Corkhill