By European football giants France and Italy are poised to face off in their UEFA Nations League opener on Friday night at Parc des Princes, as both teams look to rebound from disappointing Euro 2024 campaigns.
France, who exited the Euros in the semi-finals against eventual champions Spain, will be eager to reassert their dominance under long-serving coach Didier Deschamps. The 2018 World Cup winners and 2021 Nations League champions finished a surprising third in their group during the last Nations League campaign, a performance they can ill afford to repeat.
Italy, meanwhile, enters the match still smarting from their lackluster title defense at Euro 2024, where they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Switzerland. Coach Luciano Spalletti has spoken of bringing “clarity and consistency” to the squad, signaling potential changes in personnel and tactics.
Team News:
France’s squad sees some notable changes, with Adrien Rabiot and Benjamin Pavard dropped. Rising star Michael Olise receives his first call-up after an impressive showing at the Olympics. Manu Kone could make his senior debut, while Loic Bade replaces the withdrawn Wesley Fofana. Lucas Digne and Matteo Guendouzi have been added as late replacements for Ferland Mendy and midfield cover, respectively.
Italy faces the absence of striker Gianluca Scamacca due to an ACL injury and midfielder Nicolo Barella following sinus surgery. Eight players from the Euro 2024 squad have been omitted, including Gianluca Mancini and Jorginho. Marco Brescianini and Caleb Okoli receive their first call-ups, while Destiny Udogie, Moise Kean, and Sandro Tonali return to the fold.
Tactical Considerations:
Deschamps is likely to maintain his preferred 4-3-3 formation, potentially featuring an attacking trident of Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, and captain Kylian Mbappe.
Spalletti has indicated a preference for a back three system, possibly deploying a 3-5-2 with Giacomo Raspadori and in-form Mateo Retegui leading the line.
Possible Starting Lineups:
France (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Konate, T. Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni, Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Thuram, Mbappe
Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Ricci, Tonali, Frattesi, Dimarco; Raspadori, Retegui
Historical Context:
This match marks the first competitive encounter between these footballing powerhouses in 16 years, rekindling memories of their iconic 2006 World Cup final. France has won the last three friendly meetings, but competitive fixtures often bring out the best in the Azzurri.
The Nations League Context:
Both teams are keenly aware of the stakes in this new Nations League campaign. The bottom-placed team in each group faces automatic relegation, while third-placed teams must navigate a playoff to avoid dropping to League B. The top two finishers will qualify for the newly introduced quarter-final round.
With Belgium and Israel completing Group 2, both France and Italy will be eager to start their campaigns on a positive note, setting the tone for what promises to be a highly competitive group stage.
