• Competition: UEFA Nations League A - Group 2
• Date: Friday, 6th, September 2024
• Kickoff: 19:45 UK / 20.45 CEST
• Venue: Parc des Princes (Paris)

Parc des Princes will be the venue for a high-stakes battle between France and Italy as the two footballing heavyweights open their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign on Friday night.

Although they are considered among the top favorites for glory in any competition they participate in recent years, the French have delivered a subpar level of football so far in the UEFA Nations League, with two of the last three editions seeing them fall short of reaching the knockout stages. Their performance at the 2023 tournament held in the Netherlands was hugely disappointing, as Didier Deschamps' men barely avoided what would have been a shocking drop to League B, having putting up a poor five points from six matches to finish the group stage just one point above the relegated Austria.

At the other end of the pitch is the Italian national team, whose football quality has declined in recent years, but their performances in the UEFA Nations League have shown a different pattern, as the Azzurri reached the final four in the last two editions, though they had to settle for bronze medals on both occasions. Unlike the previous two editions when only the group winner qualified for the final stage, the new UNL format now opens up additional spot for progression, and Luciano Spalletti's side will hope to sneak into the top two, having topped their group in the last two campaigns, including the one in 2022-23 when they finished ahead of European giants England and Germany.

France vs Italy Betting Tips: FRANCE TO WIN

While they may have missed the knockout rounds in two of the three editions, it's worth noting that France was one of the teams that claimed the UEFA Nations League title, and interestingly, that success came when the 2021 tournament was held on the soil of their Friday opponent Italy. It is clear that they will not be an easy catch, but the Azzurri’s recent performances in major tournaments have brought nothing but resentment, as they were knocked out in the last-16 stage of the Euro this summer while defending their title, and their absence from the World Cup has now lasted a full decade. 

To make matters worse, Luciano Spalletti's squad enters this tough contest with a shaken morale, having put together a winless run of three straight games (D1 L2) since their come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Albania on the opening day of Euro 2024. The dry spell in front of goal is causing additional concern for the Italian outfit, who have only been able to rattle the net once in their last three actions, and there are ominous signs that their offensive difficulties might continue against the disciplined French side, who have remained unpenetrated on goal in six of the last eight matches. 

After a chaotic 2022-23 UNL campaign where they barely survived in League A, the Gaelic Roosters will now aim to redeem themselves and set a strong tone for the tournament opener against the Italians, whom they have beaten in each of the last three meetings with a combined score of 8-3. Although it's a clash of European heavyweights, we believe France appears much stronger across all positions compared to Italy, and with the home advantage, Deschamps' side should begin their UEFA Nations League campaign in a triumphant fashion.