The group stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League comes to an end with a clash between Italy and France in Milan.
There is sure to be a dead rubber feel to this encounter with both teams already securing their places in the new quarter-finals next March. A 3-1 win over France in September put the Azzurri very well in Group A2, and they will top the group unless the Blues win by three or more goals on Sunday.
The Italians continued their excellent Nations League campaign with a 1-0 win over Belgium in Brussels on Thursday night as Sandro Tonali scored the only goal of the game. France Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Israel’s bottom remained at a standstill.
The French were dominant in their Matchday 5 match but couldn’t find a way past Bayern Munich’s Daniel Peretz between the Israeli posts.
here it is 90 minutes preview of the League of Nations shock
Italy vs France head-to-head record (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Italy |
France |
|---|---|
|
Belgium 0-1 Italy – 14/11/24 |
France 0-0 Israel – 14/11/24 |
|
Italy 4-1 Israel – 14/10/24 |
Belgium 1-2 France – 14/10/24 |
|
Italy 2-2 Belgium – 10/24/10 |
Israel 1-4 France – 10/24/10 |
|
Israel 1-2 Italy – 09/09/24 |
France 2-0 Belgium – 09/24/09 |
|
France 1-3 Italy – 06/09/24 |
France 1-3 Italy – 06/09/24 |
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country |
TV channel/live broadcast |
|---|---|
|
united kingdom |
Viaplay International YouTube channel |
|
united states |
fuboTV, Foxsports.com, ViX, FOX Sports App, Fox Sports 2 |
|
canada |
DAZN Canada |
Luciano Spalletti is forced to rotate from eleven o’clock on Thursday for the visit of France. There could be starts for red-hot Moise Kean in Milan after Mateo Retegui succeeded in Brussels, while Manuel Locatelli, Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario and Federico Gatti will be in contention.
Spalletti matched Belgium by deploying a back three in Brussels and that system remains an option on Sunday. However, the Italians boast the flexibility to switch to a back four.
The Azzurri are without midfielder Samuele Ricci and the injured Atalanta Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini.
Italy predicted line-up against France (3-5-1-1): Vicar; Di Lorenzo, Gatti, Buongiorno; Cambiaso, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Udogie; Scraper; kean.
Didier Deschamps chose not to include superstar striker Kylian Mbappe to his November squad, insisting it’s “for the best”. Les Bleus have attacking talent in abundance despite Mbappé’s absence, but they came up short on Thursday.
Marcus Thuram and Kingsley Coman are among the candidates to be drafted France team in Milan on Sunday. William Saliba should also come into defense with goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier potentially earning his first cap.
Deschamps favorite Adrien Rabiot could replace Eduardo Camavinga in midfield, while N’Golo Kante is unlikely to start again after playing the entirety of the stalemate with Israel.
France predicted line-up against Italy (4-2-3-1): gentleman; Pavard, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernández; Guendouzi, Rabiot; Dembele, Nkunku, Coman; Thuram.
Neither team will be playing for anything on Sunday, although France will want to get the better of their next opponents, given what the Azzurri did to them in September.
Spalletti’s Italy were superb that night, and this Nations League campaign has brought out the best in the former Napoli manager, who has made this Italy team purr. Their win in Brussels on Thursday was tightly controlled, and the mood surrounding their team at the moment suggests they will triumph against a talented French side that comes with a few more question marks.
