On the second matchday of the latest UEFA Nations League edition, eight matches will take place. Undoubtedly, the highlight of Friday's fixtures will be the clash between France and Italy.
Interestingly, while these teams were in the same division before, they have yet to face each other in the Nations League. Notably, France has won the last three encounters between the sides, with Italy's last defeat occurring in 2018 with a score of 1-3.
This match will be the first for both teams following the recent European Championship. France reached the semifinals of the tournament, where they narrowly lost to Spain, the eventual champions. Italy, on the other hand, disappointed their fans by being eliminated in the Round of 16 by Switzerland.
France vs Italy: kick-off time, how to watch, Live stream - September 6, 2024
The French squad has undergone minor changes since the continental tournament. The national team's all-time leading scorer, Olivier Giroud, has retired. Adrien Rabiot, whose contract with Juventus expired, has not been called up and is currently a free agent, while Eduardo Camavinga is injured.
However, several young players have been included. Among them are Chelsea's Wesley Fofana, Roma's Manu Kone, and Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, who impressed in the Olympic team at the recent Paris Games.
Luciano Spalletti, after the Euro disappointment, promises to build a new team, as confirmed by his squad selection. Caleb Okoli from Leicester and Marco Bremer from Atalanta have yet to debut. Destini Udogie and Samuel Ricci have returned to the team, and Moise Kean, aiming to restart his career at Fiorentina, is expected to get his chance.
France vs Italy prediction and betting tips - September 6, 2024
Excluded from the squad are Liverpool's new signing Federico Chiesa, as well as Mancini, Cristante, El Shaarawy, and Darmian. Scamacca is injured, and Barella will undergo a planned operation. Jorginho will be replaced by Sandro Tonali, who is back after suspension.
Considering all factors, Dailysports has prepared the likely line-ups for the France vs Italy match.
France predicted line-ups:
Maignan — Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez — Tchouaméni, Kanté, Griezmann — Barcola, Dembélé, Mbappé.
Italy predicted line-ups:
Donnarumma — Bastoni, Buongiorno, Calafiori — Dimarco, Tonali, Frattesi, Pellegrini, Di Lorenzo — Zaccagni, Retegui.
The France vs Italy match will take place on September 6 at 20:45 CET at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
Related teams and leagues