France will travel to Milan for a high-stakes encounter against Italy on Thursday, November 12, as both teams aim to secure their positions in the UEFA Nations League. The match is scheduled to kick off at 19:45 GMT at the San Siro stadium, marking the penultimate game of the group stage for the two European heavyweights.
The primary concern for the visiting French squad is the fitness of captain Kylian Mbappe. The Real Madrid forward did not participate in the team's training session on Wednesday and was described by the coaching staff as being under treatment. While no specific details were provided regarding his physical condition, his absence from practice has raised questions about his availability for the clash. Mbappe, 27, has returned to the national team after missing the previous three matches due to injury. He scored the decisive goal in coach Zinedine Zidane's debut match against Turkiye in September but had to leave the field shortly after due to left knee pain.
Italy, currently managed by Roberto Mancini, enters the fixture in second place in Group A1. The Azzurri suffered a 2-0 defeat to Belgium in their opening game but have since recovered with dominant victories over Turkiye and a draw in Paris. They trail group leaders France by three points and lead Belgium by one. A win for France would guarantee their spot in the quarterfinals, while Italy will host Belgium in their final group match on Sunday.
Mancini has opted to inject youth into his squad for this campaign. The 31-player call-up includes four new faces, led by AC Milan forward Alphadjo Cisse, who has scored seven goals in 12 games this season. Also included are Parma midfielder Simone Lontani and Como teenagers Mattia Liberali and Riccardo Cassano. Liberali recently scored in a record-equalling 9-1 Champions League victory for Como, while Cassano awaits his first-team debut.
France, under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane, have enjoyed a strong start to their Nations League campaign. Since taking over from Didier Deschamps following the 2026 World Cup, Zidane has led the team to a 1-0 win in Turkiye and victories over Belgium both at home and away. The former Juventus star, who has a rich history with Italian football, faces a familiar opponent in Italy, a team against which he famously received a red card in the 2006 World Cup final.
The most recent meeting between these two sides resulted in a 1-1 draw in Paris on October 2, 2026. Michael Olise scored a spectacular free-kick goal for France, but Alessandro Bastoni equalized for Italy to prevent Zidane from extending his winning streak. In his pre-match press conference, Zidane also paid tribute to Tenerife's Jesus de Miguel, who died after an on-pitch collision, expressing his deep sadness for the player's family.
Both managers have emphasized the importance of the upcoming match. Mancini stated that while results are important, the team must continue to improve and build bonds among the young players. Zidane, meanwhile, remains focused on the task at hand, with his team looking to clinch the group with a victory. The Opta supercomputer rates France as slight favorites, assigning them a 47.4 percent probability of winning, compared to 28.3 percent for Italy and 24.3 percent for a draw.
Several players are missing from both squads due to injury. Italy has lost Roma defender Gianluca Mancini to a muscular issue, with Federico Gatti called up as a replacement. Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Giacomo Raspadori, and Moise Kean are also absent. For France, William Saliba, Ousmane Dembele, and others are out, but the team welcomes back Ibrahima Konate and Aurelien Tchouameni, who have recovered from their own injuries.
