Euro 2012: Germany a real threat, says Andrea Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo, England's Euro 2012 nemesis, has chided Roy Hodgson's team by stating that Germany tomorrow pose a far greater threat to the Italians' defence than England, whom he said sat deep and were too cautious.

Speaking at the splendid Casa Azzurri here, Pirlo said: "Unlike England, Germany can create many threats to our defence. England played a very careful way. They were sitting back all the match like Chelsea did in the Champions League final. They tried to keep that same shape. For them going to the penalty shoot-out was already a good result." In the dead-ball denouement, Italy's 33-year-old renaissance man scored with a delicate chip down the middle, echoing the 'falling leaf' finish of Czechoslovakia's Antonin Panenka in the Euro 1976 final against West Germany's Sepp Maier. Joe Hart was the fall-guy this time.

"Hart seemed to be very confident in himself,'' Pirlo said. "I needed to do something to beat him and it seemed to be a psychological blow. It was not madness. I decided when I saw Hart moving before the kick. I just had this inspiration. I didn't celebrate the penalty because at that point there was nothing to celebrate. We were still down. But it changed the course of the match." Even during the game itself, Pirlo dominated, showing his technique and range of passing. He constantly took responsibility in pressure situations, although he was helped by Wayne Rooney's failure to press him. "There have been many games in the past when I've had as much possession as against England," Pirlo said. "Against Germany I expect Mesut Ozil to be a great threat in and around the areas where I am playing, whereas Rooney stayed further up. Ozil will play in the same area, but he will not necessarily do a man-marking job on me."

Germany's coach, Joachim Low, confirmed that. "There will be no man-marking him but we know how he plays and we will talk about it with the team," he said. "He is going through a renaissance. After 2010 you thought he was past his prime. But he is a genius strategist who plays a lot of balls through and he can play them where it hurts the other team the most."

Six years ago, Pirlo played a through ball to Fabio Grosso in Dortmund that helped sweep Italy to the World Cup final. In the club season recently concluded, Pirlo shone in Serie A. AC Milan decided last year that he was surplus to requirements, a mistake echoing Decca Records' dismissal of The Beatles' credentials with a pithy "guitar bands are on the way out".

Asked mischievously whether he would dedicate the penalty to Juventus's Andrea Agnelli or Milan's Adriano Galliani, Pirlo replied: "I dedicated this goal to all the Italian people. I have no grudge against Milan's management. I spent 10 fantastic years at Milan." Now he is at Juventus, helping bring "the same spirit and determination" into the national team. Creativity too. Pirlo pointed out that this was an age when technique was being celebrated. "In the semi-finals there are the best teams, who have all played attacking football (Italy, Germany, Portugal and Spain). We try to be creative and win the match.

"The Italian team could play without Pirlo as well. Germany have a lot of top players but Ozil has a crucial role. But Germany are definitely scared of us, they know we can create difficulties for them." Pirlo has received praise from around the globe. Yesterday's event at Casa Azzurri drew a media presence from China and the United States, Brighton and Rutland.

Praise has gushed in. Pirlo nodded appreciatively at mention that a German magazine carried a picture of him on the cover. "Being in this magazine is a great honour because that means they really appreciated my game against England."

The Euro 2012 semi-finalist and Serie A champion does not feel he is a contender for the Ballon d'Or. "It is almost impossible because Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo score 70 goals a year,'' said Pirlo, before saying of his spectacular international swansong: "I always have pride when I wear the shirt. I am almost at the end of my career so I won't have much time to feel this emotion again."

Pirlo's compatriot, Fabio Capello, said yesterday that "after watching the [England) game I think that Rooney understands only the Scottish", meaning that he listens most to his Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Capello was reacting to Rooney's praise for Hodgson, and implied criticism of Capello, when the forward said: "I think it helps everyone being English. There are no words lost in translation and we understand what the manager wants from us.''