The Football Faithful
·17 de novembro de 2024
The Football Faithful
·17 de novembro de 2024
Italy and France do battle in the pick of Sunday’s UEFA Nations League fixtures.
Both teams have secured their place in the competition’s quarter-finals and their clash at the San Siro will determine who tops the group. Italy are the current leaders after an impressive campaign that has seen the Azzurri bounce back from a disappointing Euro 2024 to remain unbeaten.
France, however, can take top spot with a two-goal win in Milan this evening.
Here is everything you need to know about the clash.
Italy: WWDWW
It’s been an almost flawless Nations League campaign for Luciano Spalletti’s side, who have taken 13 points from their five games played. Italy kickstarted the group with an impressive 3-1 win in France and have since remained unbeaten.
Sandro Tonali’s first international goal earned Italy a 1-0 win in Belgium on Thursday and top spot will be secured in the group if they avoid a two-goal defeat to France.
Mateo Retegui has emerged as an exciting option for Spalletti. The Argentine-born striker is the leading scorer in Serie A this season with 11 goals in 12 games and has scored twice in his last three internationals.
France: LWWWD
France bounced back from their opening defeat to the Italians to record three straight wins in the Nations League. However, a goalless draw with Israel last time out leaves Les Bleus with an uphill task to secure top spot.
Dider Deschamps opted to leave Kylian Mbappe out of his squad for this month’s schedule and France struggled to find a route past Israel in the absence of their captain.
Deschamps is aiming to win the Nations League for the second time, having led France to success in the competition in 2021.
France 1-3 Italy, September 6th 2024, Nations League
Italy recovered from a goal down to seal a famous win in France in September. Bradley Barcola opened the scoring for the home side inside the opening 13 seconds at the Parc des Princes, but Federico Dimarco’s strike levelled for Italy before half-time.
Davide Frattessi fired Italy in front six minutes after the interval before Giacomo Raspadori wrapped up the win. The win was Italy’s first in Paris since 1954.
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Retegui.
France: Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot, Zaire-Emery; Olise Barcola, Thuram.
Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)
Italy vs France will be shown on Viaplay International YouTube channel.
19:45 GMT.
Italy – 7/4
Draw – 11/5
France – 13/8