Italy will extend their impressive unbeaten record against Germany when the two nations meet in their Euro 2016 quarterfinal on Saturday, according to former Azzurri boss Giovanni Trapattoni.
Italy have beaten Germany in eight meetings in major tournaments down the years, not losing a single official fixture to the current world champions.
Their last win was in the Euro 2012 semifinals, the same stage they beat Germany in the 2006 World Cup when they went on to be crowned world champions.
Italy's streak of success dates back to 1970, when they triumphed 4-3 after extra-time in the World Cup semifinals in Mexico City, and Trapattoni cannot see it ending in Bordeaux this weekend.
"They love and admire us, but they also suffer against us and this is undoubtable," Trapattoni told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"The reason why is quite clear: in their minds, there is an idea of Germany being dominant in the world. They may be part of Europe, but they are Germany. Like [Angela] Merkel, with all respect for the [German] chancellor, her desire for supremacy is clear.
"They always feel they are the strongest, and then we -- small and always controversial -- come along, with all our defects, but in the end we're amazing and we put them into a crisis.
"For me, it is going to go to extra-time again and we will win again, but for them the words Italy, extra-time and defeat are a real shock."
That shock started in 1970 and Trapattoni feels Germany have never been able to get over that defeat.
"It was definitely beautiful for us Italians and for lovers of football, but it certainly wasn't for them," the 77-year-old said. "All of their suffering when they face us is born out of that defeat. I can assure you, they have never digested it. They continue to suffer for that and I was asked about it all the time when I was working in Munich."
Another painful defeat for Germany came in the 1982 World Cup, when Italy's current team manager Lele Oriali was involved as the Azzurri won 3-1 in the final in Madrid.
"The growth this current squad has had over the past two years reminds me a lot of that Italy," Oriali told reporters in Montpellier. "We were also a group who moulded into a squad and when you work together, you can win and you can even overcome obstacles which, on paper, seem to be impossible. We've already proven this.
"Back then, everybody was sceptical about us. We got through the group with three draws and we certainly didn't play three good games, and then we got Argentina and Brazil [in the second group phase]. I remember calling my wife and telling her to book a holiday to the beach for the day after, considering how we had played and who our opponents were.
"However, as often is the case in football, the team who may not be the best on paper can achieve something impossible because they play as a team, and that is what happened with us."
Italy's performances have got an entire nation backing the team once again, with a television audience of over 18 million witnessing their 2-0 round-of-16 triumph over Spain.
In the crowd in Paris was former Azzurri international Christian Vieri, who told Gazzetta dello Sport how this Italy team is winning over everybody.
"I've started to watch Italy again with a passion," he said. "I see the lads full of enthusiasm, in love with the Azzurra shirt they are wearing and all of the values that I always held when I played for the national team.
"This is what the people rightly want to see from their players, and it's no coincidence that this passion is sky-high in Italy. I can sense a great deal of pride among the fans, who are excited by a group of players who are not holding back on the field, who are giving it their all right to the very last drop of sweat. At that moment, you have already won."