A showpiece match is shaping up from the start as European heavyweights France and Italy clash to kick off the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League group stage on Friday.
Group A2 is a tough one, with Belgium and Israel also in the race. Points will be crucial for anyone hoping to reach the quarter-finals. Only the top two teams in the group advance to the round of 16, which will take place next summer.
Les Bleus are hoping to bounce back after being eliminated in the semi-finals of Euro 2024, as coach Didier Deschamps has remained in charge with the full support of the French federation.
Italy, meanwhile, continue to try to recover from their two consecutive World Cup qualifying failures. They reached the last 16 of Euro 2024 but were overtaken by Switzerland en route to elimination, proving there is still much work to be done.
France vs Italy Prediction, Odds
- Skinny Moneyline: France (-145)
- Score prediction: France 2-0 Italy
If you look at the Italy team, they are completely devoid of talent, especially in attack. Azzurri coach Luciano Spalletti left out Federico Chiesa, and the remaining players do not inspire any confidence to score goals, even against a sometimes permeable French defense.
It’s not yet clear what the plan is for Italy, and with France clearly the better team, there’s no reason not to back them at decent odds of 2/3.
| BetMGM (USA) |
|
| Victory of France | -145 |
| Draw | +290 |
| Victory of Italy | +380 |
| Both teams mark |
Y: -120 N: -120 |
| More / Less 2.5 goals |
O: -120 U: -120 |
| France -0.5 goals |
-160 |
| Italy +0.5 goals |
+115 |
Highlights of the France-Italy match
- Date: Friday, September 6, 2024
- Kick-off time: 8:45 p.m. local time (2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT)
- Location: Parc des Princes (Paris, France)
- Arbitrator: Sandro Scharer (SUI)
- Last meeting: France 3-1 Italy (June 1, 2018 | Friendly)
Best Bet: France vs Italy
- Take: Italy under 0.5 goals
- Odds: +125 (BetMGM)
Both teams to score are -120, but Italy failing to find the back of the net is +125, which is the clear winner of both predictions. It’s hard to imagine France failing to score, and while their defense has been vulnerable at times, Italy simply doesn’t have anyone capable of carrying the weight.
With players like Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Giacomo Raspadori up front, with Mattia Zaccagni and Lorenzo Pellegrini in support, do we really feel like they can score a goal against a top three team in the world?
The fact that Federico Chiesa has failed to secure a place in the team is laughable, and Ciro Immobile has not been called up in over a year, despite scoring seven goals in six games to start his Besiktas career this season. Italy’s attack hasn’t been this weak in decades, and besides, the chances of them not scoring are a gift.
France vs Italy prop bet
- Take: Marcus Thuram, all-time top scorer
- Odds: +200 (BetMGM)
Kylian Mbappe remains France’s main threat, but he simply hasn’t been at his best over the past six months. A facial injury hampered him at Euro 2024, but even at club level, the end of his PSG tenure was difficult and his start to life at Real Madrid has been mixed. Mbappe has scored just two goals in his last 10 international appearances, since his hat-trick against Gibraltar last November.
Marcus Thuram has done his best to force his way into the squad regularly, and now may be his chance. He has struggled to convert his chances for international duty, but with four goals in three Serie A games to start the season at Inter, he should be a major factor in this game.
Live broadcast of the France-Italy match, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | — | Fubo, ViX |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UNITED KINGDOM | — | — |
This UEFA Nations League match between France and Italy from Paris will be broadcast in the United States on Fubowhich offers a FREE trial to new users, and on a Spanish-language platform ViX.
In Canada, this match will be broadcast exclusively on DAZN.
