France will be looking to boost their hopes of finishing top of League A Group 2 in the UEFA Nations League when they play host to Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday evening.
Les Bleus secured a 4-1 away victory in the reverse fixture held in Budapest last month, courtesy of goals from Eduardo Camavinga, Christopher Nkunku, Matteo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola.
Match preview
© Imago
Since losing 3-1 at home to Italy in their opening Nations League match, France have picked up a maximum nine points from their last three group games, with their aforementioned victory over Israel sandwiched between two wins against Belgium.
Randal Kolo Muani was on target in Les Bleus's 2-0 home win over Belgium in September and then scored twice against the Red Devils in a 2-1 away victory last month, with Didier Deschamps's men clinging on for three precious points despite playing the final 14 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men.
Ranked second in the world by FIFA, 2021 Nations League champions France currently sit second in League A Group 2 and are just one point behind leaders Italy, who they will face in their potentially-pivotal final fixture in Milan on Sunday.
France will secure their spot in the Nations League quarter-finals if they avoid defeat against Israel on Thursday and Belgium fail to come out on top in their penultimate group fixture with Italy. However, if Belgium beat Italy and France fail to win, then the latter will remain at risk of entering the relegation playoffs.
The home side head into Thursday's contest with Israel having not lost any of their previous seven meetings with the Sky-Blue and Whites in all competitions. They have only celebrated victory in two of their four home encounters, though, and most recently played out a goalless stalemate at the Stade de France in a World Cup qualifier back in September 2004.
© Imago
Following the horrific scenes of violence that broke out in Amsterdam last week between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv supporters, against a backdrop of high tension caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, there were some concerns that Israel's fixture with France would not go ahead.
The National Security Council has advised Israelis to avoid cultural and sporting events in European countries, including France, while they should also be "extra careful about concealing" anything that could identify them as Jewish. Despite this, Thursday's game is scheduled to take place in Paris, with thousands of extra police to be on duty, while French president Emmanuel Macron will be in attendance at the Stade de France in a gesture of "fraternity and solidarity".
Amidst the country's off-field concerns, Israel have endured a difficult Nations League campaign, as expected against Italy, France and Belgium, and have suffered four defeats from four matches, leaving them rooted to the foot of League A Group 2.
The Sky-Blue and Whites will be relegated to League B if they suffer defeat to France on Thursday, or if Belgium beat Italy, while their only hope of survival is if they win their remaining two matches, including one against Belgium on Sunday, and somehow prevail in the relegation playoff.
Ranked 81st in the world by FIFA, Ran Ben Shimon's side have been used to playing away from their homeland for some time, and as they travel to Paris on Thursday, they are sure to reminisce about their only previous triumph in France - a 3-2 victory in World Cup qualifying back in October 1993, with Deschamps playing in France's midfield that day.
Team News
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France boss Deschamps has once again opted not to select Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, insisting that his absence "is for the best", while Wesley Fofana, Loic Bade and Aurelien Tchouameni are all sidelined with injuries, and the latter is also suspended following his red card against Belgium last time out.
Highly-rated Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier has earned his first senior international call-up, but he is not expected to displace Mike Maignan between the sticks, while Al Ittihad's N'Golo Kante and Marseille's Adrien Rabiot have both returned to Deschamps's squad and at least one of those could start in centre-midfield alongside Eduardo Camavinga.
Kolo Muani has scored four goals in his last four appearances for France and could continue as the central striker in Mbappe's absence, while Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola could all be selected to provide support in the final third.
As for Israel, Dor Turgeman has been forced to pull out of the squad due to injury, and Omri Glazer is also absent, but captain Eli Dasa has returned after a spell on the sidelines and the 64-cap defender will be pushing to start at either right-back or centre-back.
Manor Solomon have also returned after recovering from injury, but it remains to be seen whether the Tottenham Hotspur winger - on loan at Leeds United - will be thrown back into the first XI ahead of either Oscar Gloukh or Omri Gandelman, the latter of whom scored in the reverse fixture against France.
In the absence of goalkeeper Glazer, either Yoav Gerafi or Bayern Munich's Daniel Peretz is set to start between the sticks, while Dor Peretz, Gavriel Kanichowsky, Mohammad Abu Fani and Mahmoud Jaber will all be battling for starts in centre-midfield.
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Camavinga; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Kolo Muani
Israel possible starting lineup:
Peretz; Dasa, Feingold, Nachimas; Abada, Kanichowsky, Abu Fani, Haziza; Gloukh, Gandelman; Baribo
We say: France 3-0 Israel
Israel will fancy their chances of finding the net on Thursday having scored in all four Nations League matches thus far, but they may not have as much joy against France this time around.
Indeed, Les Bleus will be regarded as firm favourites to come out on top in this fixture and we are backing an Mbappe-less side to secure all three points in comfortable fashion on home soil.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
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