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Italy host France for a heavyweight UEFA Nations League Group A1 clash at the San Siro in Milan on Thursday, November 12, at 8:45pm local time (19:45 GMT). Italy sit second in the group table, trailing group leaders France by three points, while holding a one-point advantage over third-placed Belgium ahead of the penultimate group stage fixture.
Team Form and Standings
Under coach Roberto Mancini, Italy opened their group campaign with a 2-0 defeat against Belgium before bouncing back with convincing victories over Turkiye and earning a draw in Paris. Meanwhile, France took over under Zinedine Zidane following the 2026 World Cup, securing a 1-0 victory in Turkiye alongside home and away wins against Belgium, highlighted by a 4-1 triumph in Paris. Zidane, who spent five seasons with Juventus as a player, can secure a quarterfinal spot for Les Bleus with a victory over the Azzurri. Italy will conclude their group fixtures against Belgium on Sunday, while France host Turkiye on the same day.
Squad Updates and Youth Integration
France captain Kylian Mbappe missed team training on Wednesday and remained under treatment, according to the coaching staff, who provided no further details regarding the 27-year-old forward’s physical condition. Mbappe recently returned to the national squad after missing three matches due to injury and scored the winning goal in Zidane’s managerial debut against Turkiye in September before exiting with left knee pain. Alongside Mbappe, France are missing William Saliba, Maghnes Akliouche, Ousmane Dembele, Manu Kone, Pierre Kalulu, and Esteban Lepaul due to injuries, though Ibrahima Konate, Aurelien Tchouameni, and returning suspended defender Dayot Upamecano bolster the squad. For Italy, Roma defender Gianluca Mancini withdrew with a muscular injury and was replaced by Juventus player Federico Gatti, while Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Giacomo Raspadori, and Moise Kean are also sidelined.
Mancini has injected youth into the Italy setup by handing AC Milan forward Alphadjo Cisse his first senior call-up following a start to the season that includes seven goals in 12 games and a Europa League hat-trick against Red Bull Salzburg. The 20-year-old is among four new faces in a 31-man squad that also features Parma midfielder Simone Lontani, 18, and Como teenagers Mattia Liberali and Riccardo Cassano. Liberali, 19, scored in Como’s record-equalling 9-1 Champions League win over Lens, while 17-year-old Cassano awaits his first-team debut and will train with the senior squad alongside Lontani.
Recent History and Coach Comments
The previous encounter on October 2, 2026, ended in a 1-1 draw in Zidane’s first home game in charge, featuring an early second-half free-kick goal from Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise before Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni equalised for Italy. Discussing the team’s progress, Mancini stated that results change everything in football, but emphasized the ongoing need to work, raise the bar, and improve as a group while building a nice bond among young and experienced players. Addressing a different matter, Zidane expressed deep sadness and emotion over the on-pitch death of Tenerife player Jesus de Miguel, stating that he hopes never to witness such an incident again.
Ahead of the fixture at San Siro, the Opta supercomputer lists France as favourites with a 47.4 percent win probability, compared to 28.3 percent for Italy and a 24.3 percent chance of a draw. Across 42 historical encounters, Italy have claimed 20 victories to France’s 12, alongside 10 draws.
