UEFA Nations League: France Visit is a Must-Win for Red Devils

Belgium vs France

UEFA Nations League action is back in Belgium on Monday when France are the visitors in a crunch Group A2 clash.

The King Baudouin Stadium will be packed to the rafters for a match which could make or break Belgium’s campaign, and head coach Domenico Tedesco knows that a defeat will all but end his teams hopes of progress.

Les Bleus are one of the favourites to win the competition, so say the latest UEFA Nations League 2024 betting odds, and Didier Deschamps team really needs to win this clash if they are to have any chance of taking control of the group. 

France are second in Group A2 on six points from their first three matches, one behind leaders Italy and two ahead of Belgium, who have one win, one draw, and one defeat.

Both nations come into the game on the back of a decent result. France won 4-1 away to Israel, while Belgium scrapped to a 2-2 draw away to the 10-man Italy.

So this is a match with huge stakes between two neighbours and rivals who met not so long ago when Deschamps’ Bleus demolished the Red Devils in September, so the hosts will be keen to give their fans a renewed sense of pride and a sniff of revenge.  

 

Talking Points

Belgium battling without their big players

A visit to Italy followed by a clash at home to France is a real test for the Red Devils, and they had some success in the first part, coming back from a two-goal deficit to be the first team to take a point from the Azzurri.

They had the referee to thank in part, as he sent off Italy’s Lorenzo Pellegrini on the stroke of halftime with the score at 2-0. And the Red Devils took advantage, with Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard playing a big role, providing an assist for Club Brugge star Maxim De Cuyper before scoring the leveller on the hour.

Tedesco was delighted his team managed to stay in the competition without it’s biggest stars, Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku, while keeper Thibaut Courtois has been a long running row with the boss dating back to the Euros.

He will hope RB Leipzig’s Lois Openda and Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere can step up for this big game in place of Lukaku and De Bruyne, as both were a little quiet against Italy.   

 

Deschamps comfortable with Mbappe omission

While Belgium have some big names missing for this round of UEFA Nations League games, France have one of the biggest of them all out of the picture as Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is nowhere to be seen. There have been rumours that there has been a “club vs country” issue here, with Los Blancos keen to protect their latest Galactico.

Mbappe played in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Villarreal last weekend but was then omitted from Les Bleus’ squad. Deschamps insisted that he made the decision, saying: “Mbappe was not fit against Villarreal. There was no request. The decision was mine. He played the Villarreal game without being 100-per cent fit.

“Is this good for the player and for the French team? I don’t think so. It’s not the federations who pay the players,” the Les Bleus coach added.

The France boss was probably more relaxed about Mbappe’s omission after his team swept Israel away with goals from midfielders Eduardo Camavinga and Matteo Guendouzi and forwards Christopher Nkunku and Bradley Barcola.

And with Marcus Thuram, who has recovered from a minor injury, and Manu Kone, who is back from suspension, Deschamps has a stronger hand to play against the Red Devils.             

 

History

France have won eight of their 15 meetings with Belgium, losing three and drawing four. In fact, Les Bleus have won the last four including the 2-0 victory in Lyon just last month, with goals from Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele.     

With four wins and two defeats, France are on a better run than the Red Devils, who have won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six games.

But there is a note of optimism for Belgium in their home form, where they are unbeaten in nine and have won the last four.

 

Betting Tip

France are favourites to win this game at SBOTOP odds of 2.30, while Belgium are priced at 2.68 and the draw is 3.09.

The Red Devils’ are in a period of transition to some degree, but their UEFA Nations League 2024 results have not been too bad, and they are still fighting. 

These near neighbours have played out some tight games in recent years, and goals have been hard to come by. Six of the last eight meetings have yielded fewer than 2.50 goals. But if you think Belgium and France will buck the trend on Monday, you can always back Over 2.50 at a price of 1.91.

   

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