EdF: Italy boasts and is no longer afraid of France

This Sunday evening, Italy and France will compete for first place in the Nations League group. Given the current dynamics, Squadra Azzurra is the favorite and they know it.

If you have skipped the Nations League since September, this Italy-France will not be easy to understand. Indeed, the French team and its transalpine rival have seen their trajectories cross very recently. Best team in the world or almost for 6 years, the selection guided by Didier Deschamps is in a crisis of results and play in 2024. This was visible on Thursday with a sad 0-0 draw against Israel. Conversely, the Nazionale quickly recovered after months of crisis and a mediocre Euro 2024. For the first time in a decade, Italy are favorites in Sunday night's match.

Italy aims for victory against France

This Sunday, in Milan, the two selections will compete for first place in group A2. Italy has a 3-point lead and can remain leader by losing by one goal. A scenario that the Italian press and especially Luciano Spalletti do not envisage. The Italian coach has confidence in his team and is aiming for the best possible result at San Siro according to the indiscretions of La Repubblica. To drive the point home with French supporters, the transalpine media specifies that Spalletti is spoiled for choice for his composition: Kean or Retegui in attack? Rovella, Ricci or Locatelli in the middle? There is no shortage of fit men on the Italian side.

It's obviously quite the opposite in France and the Italians know it. Mbappé is not there, the performances are disappointing and the young French guard is slow to take power. Enough to make La Repubblica say that “ this France no longer scares Spalletti’s Italy “. In addition, we highlight the strong Milanese support to come for the Nazionale (apart perhaps from Donnarumma hated since his departure to PSG). Be careful, however, of excess confidence for Italy, especially against France. Under Deschamps, the Blues were often able to bounce back despite crises to win crucial matches. In 2021, San Siro saw the French team win the Nations League just after Euro 2021 cut short by Switzerland.