Two heavyweights will clash at one of football's grandest arenas on Thursday evening, as Italy and France meet for their penultimate League A Group 1 game in the UEFA Nations League. 

After a 1-1 draw in Paris earlier this season, the pair resume their campaigns at San Siro, where victory would confirm top spot for Les Bleus.

Match preview

Not the federation's first choice by any means, Roberto Mancini has been making the most of his second chance with Italy since taking the reins again.

The Euro 2020-winner hastily left La Nazionale behind for Saudi Arabia, but duty called him home; however, his return began with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Belgium.

After making several changes, a younger side then travelled to Turkey and produced an emphatic 4-1 win, before facing down France and escaping with a hard-fought draw.

Seven saves from inspired skipper Gianluigi Donnarumma helped the Azzurri preserve a point against Les Bleus, and three days later they defeated Turkey once again.

This time, Mancini's men won 3-1, thanks to strikes from Gianluca Scamacca, Riccardo Calafiori and Pio Esposito - the latter scoring his seventh goal in just 13 senior appearances.

As a result, Italy sit second in Group 1 with seven points, one above Belgium and three adrift of France, so they are currently set to qualify for the knockout rounds.

However, they must now negotiate two testing fixtures; after hosting FIFA's third-ranked side on Thursday night, they will visit Brussels for a potentially decisive showdown.

While Mancini was away from the Italy job for three years, Zinedane Zidane waited even longer to take charge of France, finally succeeding Didier Deschamps this summer. 

Of course, 'Zizou' spent five years of a stellar career in Turin, with Juventus, while he memorably clashed with Italy in the 2006 World Cup final - his infamous final match as a player.

Both sides beat the other 3-1 away from home in the 2024-25 Nations League, but France lead 4-2 on the head-to-head record since painfully losing that final on penalties.

This meeting comes with Les Bleus aiming to seal qualification for the quarter-finals, after claiming 10 points from four games so far.

Aside from dropping two to the Azzurri, it has been an almost flawless start to Zidane's reign, featuring two wins over neighbours Belgium and another against Turkey.

Last time out, France left it late to beat the Belgians in Paris, where Michael Olise's brief cameo sparked a stunning spell of four goals in 15 minutes and turned the game on its head.

Now, they can book early entry to the next phase with victory in Milan - even a draw would be enough if Belgium falter - before hosting rock-bottom Turkey on Sunday night. 

Italy Nations League form:

France Nations League form:

Team News

Italy were already missing Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Giacomo Raspadori and Moise Kean before Roma defender Gianluca Mancini pulled out with a muscular injury .

Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti has been called up as the latter's replacement, alongside Udinese's Matteo Palma, who is one of several rising stars included this month.

After scoring his first Champions League goal in the Lariani's 9-1 thrashing of Lens, Como forward Mattia Liberali joins AC Milan winger Alphadjo Cisse in celebrating a first senior call-up.

Cisse is Milan's top scorer this term with eight goals from 13 games, including a Serie A brace against Bologna and a 'perfect' hat-trick in the Europa League.

Furthermore, 17-year-old Riccardo Cassano and 18-year-old Simone Lontani have been invited along to train before switching to the Azzurri's underage teams.

Now fit again, Chelsea's Marco Palestra is also included, but Nicolo Zaniolo has belatedly withdrawn for personal reasons.

While the hosts could pair the Esposito brothers - Sebastiano and Pio - in attack, France will surely turn to their all-time top scorer, Kylian Mbappe.

Les Bleus may have a formidably strong squad but it lacks a little depth up front; with Esteban Lepaul currently injured, Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram is Mbappe's main back-up.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid duo Ibrahima Konate and Aurelien Tchouameni are both back after missing Zidane's first camp, but William Saliba, Maghnes Akliouche, Ousmane Dembele and Manu Kone will not be involved.

Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu has just been ruled out by a hamstring injury, so uncapped Sael Kumbedi can compete with Malo Gusto for selection at right-back.

After serving a one-match ban for his red card against Italy last month, Dayot Upamecano should return to the visitors' defence.

Italy possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Barella, Tonali, Doumbia; Vergara, P. Esposito, S. Esposito

France possible starting lineup:

Maignan; Gusto, Jacquet, Upamecano, Truffert; Cherki, Tchouameni, Rabiot; Olise, Doue, Mbappe

We say: Italy 1-2 France 

Though Italy's big rebuild has started with some promise, the Azzurri's defence still looks vulnerable against top-notch opposition.

Furthermore, following almost a century without defeat in Milan, their recent results at San Siro have been very mixed.

Given that context, a strong France side can make it four wins from five in Group 1, comfortably booking their place in the knockout phase.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.