Forward Thomas Mueller raised eyebrows when he said the team's display against England on Saturday was "typical of a friendly match".
"One has the impression with us that we fall short of 100 percent when we are playing friendlies," he added after Germany squandered a 2-0 lead.
Assistant coach Thomas Schneider, facing a news conference on Monday, praised Mueller for his openness.
"It's to his credit that he expressed himself so honestly," said Schneider.
Midfielder Sami Khedira, who will again captain Germany on Tuesday in the absence of injured Bastian Schweinsteiger, said Saturday's defeat could be a wake-up call.
"Every two years we are in the same situation," said Khedira. "It's not as if we don't care, if it had ended 2-2 or if we had won then the discussion would not be as big but it's good that it has opened our eyes.
"It shouldn't happen because it's an international game and you want to win. But if two or three percent is missing the opposition take advantage of that.
"There are a lot of players who want to get themselves noticed and I hope that's what we see tomorrow. We need a top-class performance against Italy," said Khedira.
Germany have played six friendlies since winning the 2014 World Cup, losing at home to Argentina, United States and England and away to France. They drew at home to Australia and won in Spain.
(Writing by Brian Homewood; Editing by Tony Jimenez)
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