France and Italy will meet in a heavyweight clash at Parc des Prince as the two teams begin their UEFA Nations League campaigns on Friday.
The UEFA Nations League has kicked off this midweek, and Friday brings us one of the most eye-catching fixtures of Matchday 1 of the latest edition. France and Italy will lock horns at Parc des Princes, with both teams eager to kick-start their campaign on a high.
France did not set the stage alight at UEFA Euro 2024, barely scoring a goal from open play, even though they reached the semi-finals. They were deserving losers against Spain, with La Roja the eventual winner. Meanwhile, Didier Deschamps’s men have previously won an edition of the UEFA Nations League but managed only one win in six outings last time.
As for Italy, they finished third in the last two editions of the UEFA Nations League, beating Belgium and the Netherlands. While they have yet to go all the way thus far, they have made an impact in the competition in the first three versions. However, Luciano Spalletti’s men endured a forgettable UEFA Euro 2024 campaign, bowing out in the round of 16 after going down 2-0 to Switzerland.
Half a dozen years have passed since the last time France and Italy clashed, with that match ending in a 3-1 win for Les Bleus. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
France
Didier Deschamps has seen several players pull out from the squad ahead of his side’s latest fixture. In addition, France’s head coach made a few changes to the group he picked for UEFA Euro 2024.
Ferland Mendy, Wesley Fofana, and Aurelien Tchouameni have withdrawn from the squad after picking up their respective fitness issues this week. In addition, Benjamin Pavard, Eduardo Camavinga, and Adrien Rabiot have missed the cut after being in the group for the Euros.
Mike Maignan is an automatic pick between the sticks, with France lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against Italy on Friday. The backline should feature Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate, and Theo Hernandez.
As for the midfield unit, Tchouameni’s absence means Youssouf Fofana should start alongside N’Golo Kante and Warren Zaire-Emery in the middle of the park. Marcus Thuram will likely lead the line for Les Bleus against Italy, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele completing the numbers in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Konate, Theo Hernandez; Youssouf Fofana, Kante, Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Thuram, Mbappe
Italy
Unlike his counterpart in the French dugout, Luciano Spalletti has not seen any player pull out from the squad ahead of the trip to Parc des Princes. However, he has rung in the changes from UEFA Euro 2024 after a disappointing campaign in the competition.
Matteo Darmian, Gianluca Mancini, Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Bryan Cristante, Michael Folorunsho, Federico Chiesa, Stephan El Shaarawy, and Gianluca Scamacca have missed the cut for the latest international break due to different reasons.
Italy will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of France on Friday, with Gianluigi Donnarumma taking his spot between the sticks. The central defensive unit should feature Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Alessandro Bastoni. Andrea Cambiaso and Federico Dimarco should be the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Nicolo Fagioli and Davide Frattesi should pair up in the double pivot in the middle of the park. The duo will aim to fill the creative void in Barella’s absence. However, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Mattia Zaccagni will share the chance creation burden. Finally, Mateo Retegui will spearhead the Italian attack against France this Friday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Fagioli, Frattesi, Dimarco; Pellegrini, Zaccagni; Retegui
Key Stats
- France and Italy have met each other 37 times, with the Azzurri having the superior head-to-head record with 18 wins (D8 L11).
- France and Italy will meet for the first time in the UEFA Nations League. They last clashed in a friendly in 2018, with France winning 3-1 at home.
- Italy have won just one of their last six meetings against France while suffering four losses. They have suffered three consecutive losses vs Les Bleus, scoring one goal in each.
- France have won just one of their last six games in the UEFA Nations League. Didier Deschamps’s men have scored five goals in that period while conceding seven times.
- Italy have suffered just two losses in their last nine games in the UEFA Nations League.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
France struggled to make a mark at UEFA Euro 2024, with Kylian Mbappe not appearing at the races, to everyone’s surprise. The Frenchman was slightly slow off the blocks at Real Madrid this season but is gradually regaining sharpness and peak form.
The 25-year-old enters the latest international break on the back of a match-winning brace against Real Betis. He will aim to capitalise on that momentum by finding the back of the net against Italy and clinch a much-needed victory for Didier Deschamps.
Prediction
France 1-1 Italy
France and Italy were two of the most unimpressive teams at UEFA Euro 2024, even though both teams reached the knockout stages of the competition. The latest edition of the UEFA Nations League presents an opportunity for the two national sides as they look to get the winning feeling back.
However, neither team inspires much confidence in the final third while being reasonably solid at the back. So, a drab draw is on the cards, with chances coming few and far between. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 stalemate between France and Italy at Parc des Princes on Friday.
