Euro 2016: Joachim Loew to turn to Sami Khedira ahead of Germany's quarter-final clash vs Italy

Evian, France: Germany coach Joachim Loew says he will turn to Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira for valuable intel ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2016 quarter-final against the Azzurri. Khedira joined the Turin giants last July, switching to the Serie A club from Real Madrid, and several of his club team-mates will line-up in Bordeaux for Italy. In particular, the 29-year-old German defensive midfielder will be able to provide Loew with some important insight into Italy’s water-tight defence. [caption id=“attachment_1596103” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Germany coach Joachim Loew. Reuters[/caption] Juventus’ back three of Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci, plus legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, are the rocks in the Azzurri defence. “I’ll be talking a lot to Sami, he’s important because he knows a lot about Serie A,” said Loew ahead of the plum last-eight tie at the European Championship finals. “He’ll give me a few pieces of info I don’t already have, he knows what they are like from seeing them everyday in training. How they react under pressure and things like that. “Sami is smart and clever. He takes over the tasks that are given to him.” Loew needs all the input he can get as Germany look to make history in their attempt to beat Italy to face France or Iceland in the semi-finals. In eight previous attempts, Germany have never beaten Italy in the finals of a major tournament. German fans will at least take heart from a 4-1 rout of a lacklustre Italy in their most recent meeting in a friendly in March. But Antonio Conte’s Italy put down a marker ahead of the quarter-final clash by knocking defending champions Spain out with a 2-0 victory in the last 16. Loew is debating which starting line-up to deploy with captain Bastian Schweinsteiger yet to start a game in France after a knee injury. “We looking at which weak points they have and if we’ll change players,” said Loew. “It’s important to stop them counter-attacking. Perhaps they will try and press us early, so we have to be ready to adapt.”