FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Nations League - Quarter Final - First Leg - Italy v Germany - San Siro, Milan, Italy - March 20, 2025 Italy coach Luciano Spalletti REUTERS/Claudia Greco/File Photo
DORTMUND, Germany (Reuters) - Italy manager Luciano Spalletti has called for something extraordinary from his side as they prepare to overturn a first-leg deficit against Germany in their Nations League quarter-final second leg on Sunday.
Italy face a tough challenge at Signal Iduna Park after Germany came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory at San Siro on Thursday in the first leg.
"We knew we were up against a strong team... In my life, I've hidden plenty of defeats, but I didn't want to treat this one like that, because we did what we had to do," Spalletti told reporters.
"We need to do something new. It will take something extraordinary because we're starting from a disadvantage, but we need another performance like Thursday's. We don't need to invent the impossible.
"We just need to change a few moments in the game and have some individuals make a difference. Tomorrow, everything will matter, especially the collective effort."
Spalletti will be without defender Riccardo Calafiori after the Arsenal player suffered a knee injury in the first leg, with Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni set to partner Napoli's Alessandro Buongiorno.
"Bastoni is playing. Of course, putting him out wide is like putting him on his living room couch — that's where he plays at Inter," Spalletti said.
"He can also play centrally, I've spoken to him. He and Buongiorno are two excellent players who can also play together with Calafiori when he returns."
(Reporting by Tommy Lund; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
