Dejan Stankovic expects Italy to beat Germany this evening because “with Antonio Conte on the bench, anything is possible.”
The Euro 2016 quarter-final kicks off in Bordeaux at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
“Since Conte took over the Azzurri bench, he has made Italy into a team,” ex-Inter and Lazio midfielder Stankovic told Serbian paper Blic.
“His effort is fantastic. A training session with him lasts two and a half hours, as he prepares the team in every tiny detail.
Dejan Stankovic expects Italy to beat Germany this evening because “with Antonio Conte on the bench, anything is possible.”
The Euro 2016 quarter-final kicks off in Bordeaux at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
“Since Conte took over the Azzurri bench, he has made Italy into a team,” ex-Inter and Lazio midfielder Stankovic told Serbian paper Blic.
“His effort is fantastic. A training session with him lasts two and a half hours, as he prepares the team in every tiny detail.
“Conte studies everything and leaves nothing to chance. During the 90 minutes it is very difficult to score against his teams. Italy played so well against Spain with a perfect tactical reading of the match, everyone behind the ball in disciplined roles.
“Tonight’s game will be extremely difficult. Germany don’t work as a unit quite as well, so I prefer Italy. With Conte on the bench, anything is possible.
“It is time to abandon the famous theory that football is a sport where the Germans always win.”
There are rumours Bastian Schweinsteiger could be pushed into the starting XI, but Stankovic is unimpressed.
“With all due respect to Schweinsteiger, I think that would be an advantage for Italy. He is a great player, but after such a long lay-off I’m not sure he’s ready to play 90 minutes at an infernal tempo.”
Daniele De Rossi looks to be out injured, or at least ready only from the bench, while Antonio Candreva is sidelined and Thiago Motta suspended.
“If Marco Verratti and Claudio Marchisio hadn’t been injured, De Rossi probably wouldn’t even have been in the squad going to France. Now Italy’s play goes through his feet and all the moves start from him. When he’s got the ball, it’s like putting it in a safe.”
This week Stankovic announced he was leaving the role of team manager at Inter.
“It was a professional choice. Inter were always fair and proposed a new contract, but I wanted to move on and soon my next step will be known.
“I will always be there for Inter, whatever they may need.”