First meets worst in Saturday's Euro 2024 qualifying Group B showdown, as France welcome Gibraltar to the Allianz Riviera for both nations' penultimate battle.

Les Bleus have already been confirmed as group winners with two games left to play, while their bruised and battered visitors have yet to achieve a single point in the section.

Match preview

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Only twice before have France managed to navigate a Euros qualifying campaign with a 100% record - progressing to the 1992 and 2004 editions with eight wins from eight - but Didier Deschamps's team are just 180 minutes away from repeating that feat en route to Germany.

While the 2022 World Cup runners-up have not been the most ruthless attacking unit in qualifying - a solid yet unspectacular 13 goals can attest to that - they boast the best defensive record Europe has to offer, conceding just once in their opening six preliminary fixtures.

That goal came in the dying embers of their most recent showdown with the Netherlands, but Kylian Mbappe had already come up with a qualification-clinching brace before Quilindschy Hartman inconsequentially halved the deficit, as France ensured a first-placed finish and a spot at next year's Finals.

The beating of the Dutch preceded a 4-1 friendly thumping of Scotland for France, although Les Bleus do not only have pride on the line this month, as Deschamps's men will be after maximum points to earn a place in Pot 1 for the Euro 2024 group-stage draw.

Portugal and hosts Germany are already present, leaving France, England, Turkey, Belgium, Scotland, Spain and Austria to battle for the final three places in Pot 1, but Les Bleus' 18 points is superior to all of their rivals', and an obligatory hiding of Gibraltar could see Les Bleus complete their final mission before next week's trip to Greece.

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The team with the stingiest defence in Euros qualifying now pits their wits against the only nation yet to find the back of the net in the preliminary rounds, and the final whistle cannot come quickly enough for perennial minnows Gibraltar, who are one of five teams still without a point in the UEFA sections.

Los Llanis share that unwanted record with Cyprus, San Marino, Liechtenstein and Malta, the latter of whom are the only ones from that quartet with a better defensive record than Gibraltar, but all four of those teams can at least say that they have scored a goal in Euro 2024 qualifying.

Gibraltar took a welcome break from Group B duties last month to face Wales in a friendly, only to go down 4-0 to Rob Page's men before suffering an identical loss to the Republic of Ireland in their most recent qualifying battle, which marked their eighth loss from eight games in 2023.

Julio Cesar Ribas's troops may have ended 2022 on a high note with friendly wins over Liechtenstein and Andorra, but Los Llanis now face another two daunting assignments versus France and the Netherlands to close a pitiful 2023, and their record in Euros qualifying now stands at 18 defeats from 18 matches.

June's encounter at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal actually marked the first-ever meeting between France and Gibraltar, which ended in a straightforward 3-0 win for Deschamps's side, although the Allianz Riviera faithful will demand a more emphatic pummelling this time around.

Team News

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Midfield presentees and absentees have dominated the talk of Deschamps's selection, as the Bleus boss has handed a first call-up to 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain protege Warren Zaire-Emery, who had only made his debut for the Under-21s in September before being fast-tracked to the first team.

Zaire-Emery has benefitted from Aurelien Tchouameni's foot injury to make the squad, and the teenager could even make his full debut for France in this one, as Tchouameni's Real Madrid teammate Eduardo Camavinga has also been sent home after coming off worse in a training-ground collision with Ousmane Dembele, who has seemingly emerged unscathed.

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has also left the camp to be replaced by Jean-Clair Todibo, who should feel hopeful of earning just a second cap as Deschamps tinkers with his side before next week's more challenging affair in Athens.

Regarding Gibraltar, a host of experienced internationals who took part in October's fixtures are not present this time around, including Ethan Britto, Kian Ronan and Louie Annesley, but several other old-timers are still going strong.

As ever, 40-year-old Roy Chipolina should wear the captain's armband in the Llanis rearguard for his 73rd cap - the number which all-time record appearance-maker Liam Walker currently boasts - and the 35-year-old is primed to start in the engine room.

Striker Lee Casciaro could also make his 60th appearance for his nation at the age of 42, but Wycombe Wanderers' Tjay De Barr - who is 19 years Casciaro's junior - should be given the nod from the first whistle.

France possible starting lineup:
Samba; Clauss, Saliba, L. Hernandez, T. Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Thuram

Gibraltar possible starting lineup:
Coleing; Sergeant, R. Chipolina, Mouelhi, J. Chipolina, Olivero; Walker, Pozo, Badr, El Hmidi; De Barr

We say: France 6-0 Gibraltar

Despite putting three unanswered goals past Gibraltar back in the summer, the manner of France's performance still left something to be desired, but Les Bleus should have few problems tearing their cellar-dwelling opponents to shreds here.

Gibraltar boss Ribas will likely employ a backs-against-the-wall approach from the first whistle, but once the deadlock is broken, the floodgates will surely open.


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Written by
Ben Knapton

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