2024-10-15 08:25:02
Belgium and France meet again on Monday with the second of their two UEFA Nations League games in Brussels having also met at UEFA Euro 2024 this summer. The French lost on the opening day to Italy in Paris but have since recovered with wins over the Belgians and Israel. Domenico Tedesco’s side have slipped off the pace and into third place after beating the Israelis, drawing with the Italians after going down 2-0 to Didier Deschamps men in September.
The Red Devils came away from Stadio Olimpico with a point after fighting back from 2-0 down inside of 24 minutes thanks to goals from Maxim De Cuyper and Leandro Trossard. Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card changed things in favor of the Red Devils who felt that they should have had a penalty and a further advantage when Alessandro Bastoni scythed Lois Openda down. It finished level with Tedesco and his players returning to Belgium to take on their neighbors.
These two have faced each other twice in the past few months with Les Bleus winning on home soil in the UNL and also in Germany for the Euro round of 16. Deschamps enjoys a strong record against Belgium and also boasts semifinal wins over the Red Devils in the 2021 Nations League and the 2018 World Cup. That, off the back of a 4-1 thrashing of Israel in Hungary, should give the French confidence that they will be able to take all three points here.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
Belgium are third in the table with four points from a possible nine with Italy at home and Israel on neutral ground left to play after this matchup with France who are second with six points. Given that a top two finish is enough to advance, the Belgians will be confident that they can get between five and seven points from the next nine available. Tedesco will be targeting avoiding defeat against both the French and the Italians with the Israelis pointless after three games. Deschamps will want to avoid defeat here, beating Israel before challenging the Azzurri for top spot in the final game.
Belgium: Romelu Lukaku was not picked while Thibaut Courtois is injured on top of his conflict with Tedesco. Matz Sels and Kevin De Bruyne are also missing with Youri Tielemans the only remaining member of the 2018 World Cup group. Tedesco tried out a three-man back line against Italy and could go for the same here.
Possible Belgium XI: Casteels; Castagne, Debast, Faes, Theate, De Cuyper; Tielemans, Mangala; Trossard, Openda, Doku.
France: Kylian Mbappe is unavailable while Antoine Griezmann has retired and N’Golo Kante as well as Adrien Rabiot are also missing. Bradley Barcola and Matteo Guendouzi could start after impressing against Israel while Randal Kolo Muani is enjoying an extended run of minutes despite not yet hitting scoring form. Michael Olise should keep his place despite a below-par showing against the Israelis and Ibrahima Konate alongside William Saliba could turn out to be Deschamps’ preferred central defensive pairing.
Possible France XI: Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Saliba, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Camavinga, Guendouzi; Olise, Kolo Muani, Barcola.
Deschamps’ France edged Tedesco’s Belgium at this summer’s Euro and were a bit more convincing last month. Expect the French to narrowly overcome the Belgians again here but do not be surprised if Les Bleus are forced to settle for a draw by the Red Devils. Pick: Belgium 0, France 1.
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