POLAND - Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo has the German flag stitched into his boots but his mother's Hamburg heritage will be put to one side when the teams clash in today's Euro 2012 semifinal.
"It's for sure a special match," Montolivo said. "Part of me is German. I spent every summer in Germany until I was 15 with my grandparents near Hamburg and I'm still in touch with many friends there. But I feel Italian."
The 27-year-old, who will join AC Milan from Fiorentina next month, is likely to start the Warsaw encounter as Italy's most advanced midfielder having shone in the quarterfinals with England before missing a penalty in the shootout.
Undeterred, he will show off his never-say-die German character if today's game also goes the distance.
"If it happens again, I'll put my hand up to take one," the Italian said.
"Penalties are not missed by those who don't take them. When you miss the world crashes down onto your shoulders but when I returned to the halfway line I was calm and confident. I was convinced my miss would not be decisive."
Meanwhile, captain Philipp Lahm has demanded total focus from Germany ahead of today's encounter as they bid to reach their second consecutive European Championship final.
"Small things will separate the great teams that are left now," said the 28-year-old. "There was no guarantee that we would get this far, but we want to stay here until the final, until the end."
It was Lahm who calmed German nerves with a sublime strike from the edge of the penalty area to open the scoring in Friday's 4-2 quarterfinal win over Greece. Victory over the Azzurri would put Germany in Sunday's final, but Lahm needs no reminding of the Euro 2008 final.
He was beaten for pace by Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, who went on to score the only goal of the game in Vienna four years ago.
"By qualifying for yet another semifinal we have reaped the reward for our hard work," said the Bayern Munich captain.
"We have started beating big nations and that's the biggest indicator of progress you can get.
"We work well in defence and we have technically strong and robust players who can always score."
Italians use German parts
POLAND - Italy midfielder Riccardo Montolivo has the German flag stitched into his boots but his mother's Hamburg heritage will be put to one side when the teams clash in today's Euro 2012 semifinal.
"It's for sure a special match," Montolivo said. "Part of me is German. I spent every summer in Germany until I was 15 with my grandparents near Hamburg and I'm still in touch with many friends there. But I feel Italian."
The 27-year-old, who will join AC Milan from Fiorentina next month, is likely to start the Warsaw encounter as Italy's most advanced midfielder having shone in the quarterfinals with England before missing a penalty in the shootout.
Undeterred, he will show off his never-say-die German character if today's game also goes the distance.
"If it happens again, I'll put my hand up to take one," the Italian said.
"Penalties are not missed by those who don't take them. When you miss the world crashes down onto your shoulders but when I returned to the halfway line I was calm and confident. I was convinced my miss would not be decisive."
Meanwhile, captain Philipp Lahm has demanded total focus from Germany ahead of today's encounter as they bid to reach their second consecutive European Championship final.
"Small things will separate the great teams that are left now," said the 28-year-old. "There was no guarantee that we would get this far, but we want to stay here until the final, until the end."
It was Lahm who calmed German nerves with a sublime strike from the edge of the penalty area to open the scoring in Friday's 4-2 quarterfinal win over Greece. Victory over the Azzurri would put Germany in Sunday's final, but Lahm needs no reminding of the Euro 2008 final.
He was beaten for pace by Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, who went on to score the only goal of the game in Vienna four years ago.
"By qualifying for yet another semifinal we have reaped the reward for our hard work," said the Bayern Munich captain.
"We have started beating big nations and that's the biggest indicator of progress you can get.
"We work well in defence and we have technically strong and robust players who can always score."
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