By facing Italy in Milan on Sunday November 17, the Blues had a double mission: to forget the indigestible performance offered against Israel on Thursday (0-0), and to take their revenge on the Squadra Azzurra, who had come to win in Paris in September (3-1). At the end of a successful performance and a small festival from Adrien Rabiot – author of a double – and Lucas Digne, the Blues ticked all the boxes, and more.
By winning 3 to 1, they in fact steal first place in group 2 from their evening opponents, and make their task easier in view of the quarter-finals, which they will play against a second in group in March. The Blues especially conclude in style a year of ups and downs, marked by the international retirement of Antoine Griezmann and the vagueness around their captain, Kylian Mbappé.
What to remember from France-Italy:
The Blues midfielder has found color since his surprise transfer to Marseille this summer. Rabiot scored two headed goals, the first to cool San Siro at the very start of the match, the second to bring the score to 3-1 and put his team in safety. In the game, we saw him, with a lot of volume, sometimes dictating the tempo of the match with the ball, or making valuable defensive efforts.
1-0, 2e : Adrien Rabiot rises higher than everyone to send his header into the goal from a Lucas Digne corner.
2-0, 33e : the Blues get a good free kick which seems intended for a right-hander, but Lucas Digne rushes and sends a magnificent strike with his left foot, which enters the cage with the help of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and his back.
2-1, 35e : Jules Koundé lacks concentration, has the ball stolen from his side and Federico Dimarco manages to find Andrea Cambiaso who reduces the score with a volley.
3-1, 65e : Lucas Digne, again, is in charge on an off-center free kick. He sends the ball to the head of Adrien Rabiot, who manages to frame his shot while he was on the back foot. Digne-Rabiot, a winning duo.
Mike Maignan, at the microphone of TF1: “We wanted our revenge, we lost in September at home [face aux Italiens]. When we play as a team like that, when we make efforts for each other, we can do great things, and that is worthy of the France team. »
A more satisfying match in the game for the Blues, but above all terribly successful in terms of set pieces. For the first time since 1991 and a match against Albania (5-0), the France team scored three goals from set times in an official match. 23 years later, the Blues have found the solution in this sector!
- The turning point of the match. The Blues did not flinch
At 35e minute, Federico Dimarco reduces the score after a nice move on the left side, and kicks off a big Italian highlight, during which the locals will push to try to catch up before half-time. Not necessarily in great confidence in recent months, the Blues could have pulled out, but braced themselves to protect their advantage, before increasing it in the second act.
After Thursday's very poor match against Israel, it didn't take much for this Italy-France to seem tasty. Ultimately, the Blues did much better with a solid performance, three goals scored, including one quite spectacular, and a victory against a prestigious opponent in a European classic to end the year. A festive meal before its time.
