Italy, who beat Ukraine 3-0 here on Friday to set up a meeting against the hosts in the last four, thumped Germany 4-1 in a warm-up match on March 1, 100 days before the tournament was due to begin.

A one-sided game in Florence saw Italy billed as potential World Cup winners, while German football sank to an all-time low.

"We won't score four goals against Germany again," Lippi said after his team had ended Ukraine's first World Cup adventure.

"They're not the same side we met in March. That result was a bit harsh on them and a poor reflection of the German team. Now they are exploiting the enthusiasm of the whole nation and it has transformed them.

"They have a good side and an excellent coach. It will be very tough for us, but it will be tough for them too."

The German press crucified their team after their thrashing by Italy.

"Mamma mia were bad, headlined Bild, Germany's biggest-selling daily paper.

"Only 99 days to go to the World Cup and our national team is playing worse than ever before. If we play like that at the World Cup well be obliterated."

"Germany shrinks to a football dwarf," wrote Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The defeat also left Germany captain Michael Ballack fearing for his country's World Cup chances.

"Defeats like this can send you back to square one, particularly in terms of confidence and team spirit. Doubt has set in," he said.

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann was equally concerned.

"There are days when things just don't go the way you'd want them to. And days like this one, where it all goes completely wrong," he said.

Revenge will be on German minds when they meet Italy in Dortmund on Tuesday, more so for their 1982 World Cup final defeat rather than the March friendly.

Italy beat Germany 3-1 in Spain 24 years ago to become world champions for a third time.

Tuesday's match has been spiced up by an article that was published on the website of German weekly magazine Der Spiegel earlier this week.

It described Italian men as "greasy", "parasitic", "cheats" and "mummy's boys". The website later withdrew the article and issued an apology after complaints from irate Italians.

Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso couldn't resist taking a swipe back at Der Spiegel after picking up the man-of-the-match award against Ukraine.

"Maybe the editor had a problem because his wife is having an affair with an Italian," said the combative AC Milan midfielder.

Italy defender Alessandro Nesta, who missed the Ukraine match with a groin strain, believes jealousy was the motivation for the offensive article.

"Italians have taken their fashion and food all over the world. They (the Germans) criticise us for the way we are, but then they want to dress and eat like us. There is a touch of jealousy in it," he said on Wednesday.

Gianluca Zambrotta gave Italy an early lead against Ukraine with a left-footed drive before Luca Toni scored twice -- a close range header and a simple tap-in -- for his first goals of the competition.

Germany advanced to the semi-finals by beating Argentina in a penalty shoot-out after the match had ended 1-1 after extra-time.