Preview: Israel vs France – Prediction, Team News, Lineups

A clash took place on neutral ground in the Bozsik Arena in Budapest. Israel And France Resume yours UEFA Nations League Campaigns on Thursday evening in League A Group 2.

Didier DeschampsThe Barcelona team picked up three points in the first two competitions last month, while their 'hosts' are at the bottom of the group after two defeats in September.

Game preview

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In just 74 minutes against Italy on September 6th, France conceded as many goals as in the entire Euro 2024 season and got off to the worst possible start in the top division of the Nations League with a 1:3 defeat in Paris.

However, Deschamps' false start was made up for two days later in Lyon, where Paris was Saint-Germain's teammate Randal Kolo Muani And Ousmane Dembele He scored on either side of half-time in the 2-0 win over Belgium, ending a two-game losing streak in all tournaments.

The responsibility will certainly lie more with players like Kolo Muani, Dembele and others to step up to the plate Antoine Griezmann's shocking international retirement, not to mention the fact that Kylian Mbappe This month he missed selection for a French squad for the first time in three years.

While Deschamps looks for alternative solutions at the top, Les Bleus occupy second place in the Group 2 rankings – which would be enough for a direct place in the quarter-finals – and four days after Thursday's showdown a heavyweight reunion with Belgium is on the cards the lurker.

The less said about France's away performance in the 2022-23 Nations League the better, as they failed to win any of their three games against Denmark, Croatia or Austria away from their home country, taking just two points from nine on offer.

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However, Thursday's opponent, Israel, is only administratively the host of this upcoming game, as the Skyblue-Whites are temporarily playing their home games in Hungary due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Israel, which has risen from League C to the top tier of the Nations League over the past six years, experienced a baptism of fire in its opening League A games in September, initially suffering a 3-1 defeat to Belgium behind closed doors a game in which her only consolation was a Timothy Castagne Own goal.

Three days later, just over 2,000 fans flocked to Budapest to watch Italy's defeat Ran Ben Shimon's page 2-1, as punches out Davide Frattesi And Moise Kean ensured that Mohammad Abu FaniIn the grand scheme of things, his final attempt would prove meaningless.

With fourth place in Group 2, Israel is the undisputed favorite for immediate relegation to League B and has only two wins from its last nine games, against relatively weak teams in Andorra (2-0) and Belarus (4th). :0).

France and Israel have also met nine times over the years, but the Skyblue-Whites only have one win against Les Bleus, although they managed two draws in their last meeting in World Cup qualifying in 2006.

Israel Nations League form:

Israeli form (all competitions):

France Nations League form:

France form (all competitions):

Team news

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Despite returning from his recent muscle problem before the October international break, Mbappe was not named in Deschamps' squad to allow him to make a full recovery, although both he and the now-retired Griezmann were only substitutes in the win over Belgium anyway.

The PSG heir to the Real Madrid attacker – Bradley Barcola – should start on the left instead, but Kolo Muani hasn't had such a strong start to the domestic season, according to Inter Milan Marcus Thuram could act as a focal point of attack.

In one burst too Ibrahima Konate's national team prospects, Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano has withdrawn due to a hamstring injury, meaning the Liverpool player could lock arms with his Premier League counterpart William Saliba rear.

Israel has also lost some troops to injuries since appointing its squad captain Eli Dasa and 20-year-old striker Dor Turgeman – part of the U19 team that reached the final of the 2022 European Championship – both had to forfeit.

There was also confusion over the status of the Tottenham Hotspur attacker Solomon Mansion – currently on loan at Leeds United – who was named in the squad despite missing the Whites' last four games with a hamstring injury.

However, Solomon is believed to have remained in England to rehabilitate rather than join his national team and his absence is good news for Red Bull Salzburg's highly-rated star Oscar Gloukhwhich is an option to start in its place.

Israel's possible starting lineup:
Gerafi; Feingold, Nachimas, Shlomo, Leidner; Abu Fani, Kanichowsky; Abada, Peretz, Gloukh; Baribo

Possible France starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Konate, Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Dembele, Thuram, Barcola

We say: Israel – France 0:3

Adjusting to life without Griezmann pulling the strings in attack may take some time for France – and for a France without Mbappé, at least for this month – but they coped quite well against Belgium and shouldn't have one here either Having trouble getting the work done.

Israel have some brilliant talent in the final third, but nothing that could pose a serious threat to Les Bleus' stout defence; Deschamps' men have our vote to win this game comfortably.

For data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this game, please click here.

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