France-Italy is a match valid for the first day of the group stage of the Nations League and is played Friday at 8:45 p.m.: statistics, free-to-air TV, likely lineups, prediction.
Luciano Spalletti had no problem admitting he had a bad summer. There was too much bitterness following our national team’s disappointing expedition to the German European Championship, which ended in the round of 16 after a disconcerting performance against Switzerland, in which his Italy was disastrous. Not that the Azzurri had enchanted in the group stages: they beat Albania with difficulty in the opener, were pummeled by Spain (while losing only 1-0) and made it through the round thanks to a last-gasp draw in the match against Croatia.
Even Spalletti himself ended up in the dock: the constant changes at the tactical level by the Tuscan coach have highlighted a certain confusion and that is also why the former coach of Roma, Inter and Napoli in one of the latest press conferences stated that from the Nations League match with France they will always play with the three-man defense. The match at the Parc des Princes, in any case, should represent the dawn of a new beginning for an Italy that has the obligation not to fail for the third time in a row to qualify for the next World Cup. With this in mind, it will be important to do well in the Nations League as well: the group, after all, is quite challenging, given that in addition to the Bleus there is also De Bruyne’s Belgium (the other selection is Israel), and getting to the knockout stage – the first two go through – is not a given.
For the Azzurri, it’s a “new” start
There is no shortage of new names among Spalletti’s summonses: in addition to the returning Tonali, available again after his disqualification, the coach has summoned Kean, Udogie, Okoli and Brescianini, among others.
The new Fiorentina striker, who has scored 3 goals in 5 games with the Viola, is expected to start from the 1′ paired with Retegui, while Frattesi, Fagioli and Pellegrini will play in midfield. No dice for Barella, who had to drop out of the call-up due to nose surgery. And France? Didier Deschamps at Euro ’24 failed to silence most critics: Mbappé and his teammates did not enchant, but still made it to the semifinals, losing 2-1 to future champions Spain. A path that apparently did not displease the transalpine federation, which decided to confirm the technical commissioner. The desire for redemption is great and it will be the France of great occasions that will face Italy: in the attacking trident Deschamps will deploy the trio Thuram-Dembélé-Mbappé, with Griezmann in the role of halfback alongside Zaire-Emery and Tchouaméni.
Share comparison
France’s win is listed at 1.68 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and 1.65 on Snai. In contrast, the “Under 2.5” sign is quoted at 1.90 on Goldbet, Lottomatica and at 1.85 on Snai.
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The Prediction
Italy has not beaten France since 2008, which is also the year of the last official match between the two selections. Since then, Azzurri and Bleus have only faced each other in friendlies, with France always getting the better of it, never scoring less than 2 goals. Spalletti’s national team, which came out of the European Championship with broken bones, needs to regain confidence but, above all, an identity, and it is unlikely that it can do so against a selection of the caliber of France, which although disappointing at the level of play – in Germany it relied as usual on the quality of individuals – at this moment has more certainties (and, above all, quality). The fact that Spalletti chooses an unseen attacking pair (Kean-Retegui) and that Deschamps’ team shone more in its own half than in the opponent’s at Euro 2024 suggests a challenge of less than 3 goals total.
France-Italy likely lineups
FRANCE (4-3-3): Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Tchouaméni, Griezmann; Dembélé, Mbappé, Thuram.
ITALY (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Fagioli, Pellegrini, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-0