Thierry Henry has offered a glowing assessment of Zinedine Zidane’s early impact as France manager, comparing the legendary midfielder to a deity. After waiting patiently for his opportunity to lead Les Bleus, the former Real Madrid boss has hit the ground running with a perfect record in the dugout.
Mancini continue to experiment with the make-up of his defensive line, but the future also depends on integration with the big absentee from this round of matches: Dimarco.
Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez has offered strong backing to Italy as the four-time world champions attempt to rebuild following their historic absence from the international stage. The Spanish shot-stopper insists the talent pool remains elite under Roberto Mancini, arguing that restoring collective belief will prove decisive during this transitional period.
Comprehensive match preview of France vs Italy in the UEFA Nations League. We break down latest results, form, and key storylines ahead of this Friday night Group A1 clash at the Stade de France.
From 2028/29 the tournament will have a new format. In the meantime, the UEFA Executive Committee have also announced some new features for this fifth edition, which saw Italy make their debut on 25 September against Belgium at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Roberto Mancini is relishing the chance to take on Zinedine Zidane's France side at the Stade de France this Friday. The Italy boss has joked that the hosts are so strong his players might need the opposition to catch a cold to stand any chance of winning.
Alessandro Bastoni has called on Italy to move past their habit of self-criticism as the Azzurri prepare for a high-stakes Nations League showdown against France. The Inter defender believes the national team must build on the momentum of their recent victory over Turkiye to establish a new, consistent identity under Roberto Mancini.
Italy head coach Roberto Mancini has declared that his side will not take a backwards step when they travel to face France in a mouth-watering Nations League encounter. The Azzurri boss insists his team is built to attack regardless of the stature of their opposition as they look to build on their recent victory over Turkiye.
Zinedine Zidane has openly discussed his infamous clash with Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final, insisting he holds no regrets over the incident. Speaking before his first home match as France manager against Italy, Zidane addressed the historic moment while looking forward to a highly emotional return to the Stade de France in the UEFA Nations League on Friday.
Ousmane Dembele has firmly dismissed rumours of a fallout with France team-mate Kylian Mbappe following comments regarding the upcoming Ballon d'Or ceremony. Speculation suggested a frosty relationship had developed between the pair after Mbappe spoke to the media, but Dembele insists their close friendship remains completely intact as they reunite on international duty this week.
The president of the Italian Football Federation: "There is this clear intervention which, in my opinion, is absolutely wrong, in the name of what are the dynamics of the autonomy of sport"
Italy have been dealt a significant blow ahead of their heavyweight Nations League encounter with France as Giacomo Raspadori has officially withdrawn from the squad. The Atalanta forward has been released from the national team camp following medical evaluations that confirmed he would be unable to participate in the upcoming international fixtures.
Italy
