Losing Daniele De Rossi to injury and having one day less to prepare for their quarterfinal clash compared to their opponents Germany are not viable excuses for elimination, according to Italy midfielder Alessandro Florenzi.
Florenzi, Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile met the media at Italy's base camp in Montpellier ahead of Saturday's eagerly anticipated clash and showed no sign of concern as they prepare to face the world champions in Bordeaux.
De Rossi faces a race against time to be fit while his nominal replacement Thiago Motta is suspended, leaving Antonio Conte a selection headache which will not diminish the Squadra Azzurra's hopes of reaching the last four.
The adversity Italy face gives them an excuse for an eventual failure, but not in the eyes of Roma midfielder Florenzi.
"Whoever thinks that is a loser," he said. "These are just excuses for losers. We need to take strength from these things and show them on the field. All 23 of us know we can do something really huge. We're united and aware that we're a good team and we can do something really huge.
"For some games, you don't even need to motivate yourself -- it comes naturally. It will be the same against Germany. I don't envy anything Germany have, to be honest, but the facts do speak for them.
"They are world champions and they have confidence, but we're slowly building our confidence levels, game by game, training session by training session. We know it will not be an easy game, but we want to pull it off for our fans and as reward for all the work we are doing."
Fiorentina forward Mario Gomez, who did not have the best of times playing in Serie A for the Viola, says Germany are determined to gain revenge for their defeat to Italy in the semifinals four years ago, but those words were just dismissed by Immobile, who had a similarly disappointing spell in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.
"All I think is that it is the work and what happens on the field which carries any weight, not what people are saying or what you read in the papers," he said.
"We are aware that Germany are a good team and they believe in themselves, but as far as we're concerned, we're 23 players with all the staff and we want to continue doing well here, then we'll see what happens on the field."
What Germany do not have is an Antonio Conte figure on the touchline, playing every ball with his players and giving them that extra motivation.
"The coach is giving us this determination; he's transmitting this to us on the field," Insigne said. "From day one, the coach has made it clear that each one of us is important."