Kylian Mbappé is out for France due to a hamstring injury, and that’s just the start of it. A staggering list of players are missing for the French side as they head into their penultimate Nations League match against Italy. This isn’t just a friendly; only the top two teams from Group A1 advance to the quarter-finals, and with France leading on 10 points, Italy hot on their heels with seven, and Belgium right there with six, this Thursday’s clash at San Siro is absolutely massive for the Azzurri.
France’s Injury Nightmare Changes Everything
Zinedine Zidane’s France team is absolutely decimated. Mbappé, the Real Madrid striker, is sidelined with a hamstring injury, which is a huge blow. And get this: he was also missing back on October 2 when these two teams drew 1-1 in Paris. But it doesn’t stop there. They’re also without Marcus Thuram, Pierre Kalulu, Aurelien Tchouameni, Manu Koné, William Saliba, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, Ousmane Dembélé, Maghnes Akliouche, and Esteban Lepaul. Seriously, how do you even field a team with that many key guys out? This means we’re likely to see Michael Olise, Désiré Doué, and Bradley Barcola leading the attack, though the specific order is up in the air. Barcola wasn’t even originally slated for a centre-forward role, but he might have to adapt on the fly, which tells you everything about France’s situation.
Italy’s Shuffled Deck, But Maybe a Lucky Break?
For Roberto Mancini’s Italy, it’s also a case of injuries dictating the lineup, but perhaps with a bit more stability compared to France’s chaos. He’s expected to stick to his usual 4-3-3 formation. Up front, Inter striker Pio Esposito is set to lead the attack. On the right, his older brother Sebastiano Esposito is the top pick over Mattia Liberali, while Nicolò Cambiaghi seems to have the edge over Luca Koleosho on the left. In midfield, Davide Frattesi and Sandro Tonali are locked in, with Inter’s Nicolò Barella likely completing the trio. On defense, Brentford’s Michael Kayode looks set at right-back, and Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori is expected at left-back, which would bench Inter’s Federico Dimarco. There’s also talk of moving Calafiori to central defense alongside Alessandro Bastoni, which would bring Dimarco back into the starting eleven and send Giorgio Scalvini to the touchline. Plenty of choices for Mancini, but with France’s woes, it feels like Italy has a real shot here.
The Quarter-Final Gauntlet Starts Now
This match, kicking off at 19.45 GMT (20.45 CET) on Thursday in Milan, isn’t just about bragging rights. It’s everything for Italy’s Nations League quarter-final hopes. France sits pretty at 10 points, but Italy is right there at seven, with Belgium on six. Win this, and Italy is in prime position heading into the final round where they face Belgium in Brussels. France, meanwhile, gets a relatively easier draw hosting rock-bottom Turkiye. This is Italy’s chance to pounce on a wounded French side and stake their claim for a spot in the next stage. You don’t want to miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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