Here we go again. Sixty-nine days after the match badly lost against Switzerland, Italy will return to the field tonight. They will do so at the Parc des Princes, in Paris, against a France team that, like the Azzurri, has begun a profound renewal after a European Championship that saw the transalpines surrender in the semi-final against Spain. Starting at 20:45, the first match of the group stage of the fourth edition of the Nations League will take place. Italy, who have always been in League A, is in group 2, together with Belgium and Israel. Arriving in the top two means having mathematical certainty of being seeded when the qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup are drawn. It is not a trivial detail, but these matches will serve Luciano Spalletti above all to test new potential protagonists. “We need to think of something new, this journey will be as long as the Nations League and then we evaluate and go and talk about the things that have happened to us”, he declared yesterday in a press conference. Today’s match will be the 40th between these two national teams: the balance is in favor of the Azzurri, but France has won the last three matches. The Swiss referee Sandro Schärer will referee the match.
HOW FRANCE ARRIVES
Many doubts about the lineup for Didier Deschamps who has recovered Jonathan Clauss, right back tonight in the running with Koundè. In the eleven that will take to the field there could be three Milan players: certain of a shirt Maignan and Theo Hernandez, while Youssouf Fofana is in the running with Zaire-Emery.
Kylian Mbappè, who was present at the press conference yesterday, will lead the attack, but behind him there is great uncertainty: the only one who is certain of a starting shirt is Barcola, while in the running for the other two places are Kolo Muani, Dembele, Griezmann and Olise, a 2001-born footballer who, after this summer’s Olympic adventure, was called up for the first time to the senior national team.
France (4-2-3-1) – Maignan; Koundè, Saliba, Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Kante, Y.Fofana; Dembèlè, Griezmann, Barcola; Mbappe. Available: Samba, Areola, Clauss, W.Fofana, Konatè, Mendy, Zaire-Emery, Konè, Guendouzi, Kolo Muani, Olise, Thuram. Technical Commissioner: Didier Deschamps.
HOW ITALY ARRIVES
Luciano Spalletti starts again from the module, from that 3-5-2 that in Germany was used only for the match against Croatia. In defense in front of Donnarumma there will be a three-man line composed of Di Lorenzo, Bastoni and Calafiori, in the middle of the field Ricci will play as a midfielder with Frattesi and Tonali supporting him. A ballot on the right flank between Cambiaso and Bellanova, while on the left Dimarco is certain of a shirt. Raspadori and Retegui will form the attacking pair.
Italy (3-5-2) – Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Ricci, Tonali, Dimarco; Raspadori, Retegui. Available: Vicar, Meret, Gatti, Okoli, Good morning, Bellanova, Udogie, Beans, Brescianini, Pellegrini, Zaccagni, Kean. Technical Commissioner: Luciano Spalletti.