The UEFA Nations League reaches its group stage climax on Sunday as Italy hosts France at the iconic San Siro in Milan. With both teams already qualified for the quarter-finals, this match will determine who tops Group A2 and secures a potentially more favorable draw in the knockout rounds.
Italy currently lead the group with 13 points from 5 matches, while France sit second on 10 points. The Azzurri need only avoid defeat by two or more goals to finish first, while Les Bleus must win by at least two clear goals to leapfrog their rivals into top spot.
Italy come into the match in excellent form, having gone unbeaten in their Nations League campaign so far. They kicked things off with a stunning 3-1 away win over France in September and most recently edged out Belgium 1-0 thanks to Sandro Tonali’s early strike.
France, meanwhile, stumbled to a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Israel on Thursday, ending their three-match winning run in the competition. That result means they now face an uphill battle to overtake Italy.
The midfield battle between Italy’s Nicolo Barella and France’s N’Golo Kante could be crucial in determining who controls the tempo of the match. Up front, Moise Kean will look to continue his club form on the international stage against the French center-back pairing.
These two European heavyweights have a rich history of memorable encounters, including the 2000 European Championship final won by France and the 2006 World Cup final famously claimed by Italy on penalties. Their most recent competitive meeting came in September’s reverse fixture, where Italy triumphed 3-1 in Paris.
Team News
Manager Luciano Spalletti may rotate his squad slightly with qualification assured. Moise Kean could start up front in place of Mateo Retegui, while there may be changes in midfield with Manuel Locatelli pushing for a start.
The Azzurri are without injured defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Giorgio Scalvini, as well as midfielder Samuele Ricci and striker Gianluca Scamacca.
Didier Deschamps continues to be without star forward Kylian Mbappe, whose absence remains shrouded in mystery. Other key players missing include Wesley Fofana, Ousmane Dembele, and Aurelien Tchouameni.
AC Milan duo Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan are likely to start at their home stadium, while Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani compete for the central striking role.
Expected Starting XIs
Italy (3-5-1-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Kean
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot; Olise, Zaire-Emery, Barcola; Thuram
Match Prediction
With Italy needing only to avoid a heavy defeat and France perhaps lacking some attacking spark without Mbappe, this match could be a cagey affair. Both sides may prioritize avoiding injuries ahead of returning to club football.
Prediction: Italy 1-1 France
