Germany have played out a goalless draw with Italy at San Siro to see their unbeaten run against their fellow European heavyweights extend to a fourth game.

The high-profile fixture failed to truly live up to the hype, although the two teams - both showing a string of changes from their last outings - did provide a fair account of themselves in a tightly-contested match.

There was to be no revenge for the hosts, who were knocked out of Euro 2016 by tonight's opponents at the quarter-final stage, but they did at least ensure that their unbeaten run on home soil against Die Mannschaft will extend into a fourth decade by the time they next lock horns.

Both sides settled for shots from range in the opening stages of the match, with Andrea Belotti blasting over the bar from 30 yards out and Sebastian Rudy faring only slightly better when sending a shot right down the throat of Gianluigi Buffon.

The first real chance arrived 13 minutes in as a smart Ilkay Gundogan pass nearly had Thomas Muller through on goal, only for the experienced head of Buffon to quickly read the danger and sweep up possession.

Germany grew more and more into things as the first half transpired, summed up by Leon Goretzka trying his luck from 25 yards out on just his third cap, but Buffon was easily down to collect once more.

Italy's best moment of the opening 45 minutes came just short of the half-hour mark - Ciro Immobile latching on to a Daniele De Rossi through-ball but miscuing his shot into the stands under pressure from Bernd Leno.

Joachim Low will perhaps have gone into half time wondering how his side had failed to make the breakthrough, as Gundogan was again denied by Buffon on the volley following a quick one-two with Muller, before Leonardo Bonucci got in the way of the Bayern Munich forward's goal-bound shot from just a few yards out.

Much like in the first half, Italy began the second as the better side and again looked to find a way through from range, with Belotti's luck failing to improve as he sent his shot high over the bar for a second time.

Home fans were left furious when Belotti, heavily linked with a January move to the Premier League, was bundled over inside the box moments later only to see his shout for a penalty rejected by the referee.

It took until the hour mark before Germany started to move back through the gears, denied a breakthrough goal only by the flag as substitute Kevin Volland strayed offside to tap home Joshua Kimmich's cross.

With both managers looking to further rotate their squads in the remaining minutes the flow of the game was not helped, though Federico Bernardeschi did have a big chance to make an instant impact when picked out by Immobile, only to send his shot straight at Leno.

Immobile played a key part in that move and he was at it again soon after thanks to some slick play out on the left, culminating in a shot being curled narrowly wide of the far post.

Serge Gnabry, the scorer of a hat-trick on his senior debut four days ago, himself looked to pick out the far corner with a curler but fell just short as the game edged towards its conclusion.

The best opening of the lot was left until the end, though, as the lively Belotti got the better of Shkodran Mustafi and fired away a shot that came back off the post and to safety.

Germany return to action next March with a friendly against England in Dortmund, while Italy - now unbeaten in their last five under Giampiero Ventura - take on Azerbaijan in their latest World Cup qualifier in the same week.