Israel and France are set to face off at the Bozsik Arena in Budapest on Thursday evening as they continue their UEFA Nations League campaigns in League A Group 2.
Didier Deschamps's French squad earned three points from their first two matches last month, while their 'hosts,' Israel, sit at the bottom of the group after suffering two losses in September.
France's manager, Didier Deschamps, saw his team concede as many goals in just 74 minutes against Italy on September 6 as they had during their entire Euro 2024 campaign. The match ended in a 3-1 loss in Paris, marking a rough start for Les Bleus in the top tier of the Nations League.
However, the French side bounced back two days later in Lyon, where Paris Saint-Germain teammates Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele scored on either side of half-time, securing a 2-0 victory over Belgium and breaking a two-match losing streak in all competitions.
With Antoine Griezmann's unexpected international retirement and Kylian Mbappe's absence from the squad for the first time in three years, players like Kolo Muani and Dembele will need to take on more responsibility in attack. As Deschamps explores new options up front, France currently sit second in Group 2—a position that would guarantee them direct entry to the quarter-finals. They also have a big match against Belgium coming up four days after Thursday's game.
France's record away from home in the 2022-23 Nations League, however, leaves much to be desired. They failed to win any of their three matches against Denmark, Croatia, or Austria on foreign soil, collecting just two points from nine available.
Although Thursday's match is technically a home game for Israel, they will play in Budapest due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. As a result, the Israeli team, nicknamed the Skyblue and Whites, have temporarily made Hungary their base for home fixtures.
Israel’s journey from League C to League A over the past six years has been impressive, but their start in the top tier hasn’t been easy. In September, they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Belgium, their only goal coming from a Timothy Castagne own goal. A few days later, in front of just over 2,000 fans in Budapest, they lost 2-1 to Italy, despite a late effort from Mohammad Abu Fani.
Currently sitting at the bottom of Group 2, Israel are at high risk of relegation back to League B, with only two wins from their last nine matches—both against lower-ranked teams, Andorra (2-0) and Belarus (4-0).
France and Israel have faced each other nine times historically, but Israel has only managed one win against Les Bleus. However, they did manage two draws when the sides last met during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Although Kylian Mbappe recovered from his recent muscle issue before the October international break, Deschamps decided not to include him in the squad, giving him more time to fully recover. Both Mbappe and the recently retired Antoine Griezmann were only substitutes in France’s win over Belgium, so their absence won't be too disruptive.
Taking Mbappe’s place on the left side is Bradley Barcola, the young Paris Saint-Germain talent expected to fill the role. Meanwhile, Randal Kolo Muani hasn't had the best start to his season, so Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram could lead the attack instead.
In defense, Ibrahima Konate might benefit from the absence of Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, who withdrew due to a thigh injury. This opens the door for the Liverpool defender to partner with fellow Premier League player William Saliba.
As for Israel, they've also had to make changes due to injuries. Captain Eli Dasa and young forward Dor Turgeman, a key figure in Israel’s Under-19 squad that reached the Euro 2022 final, have both pulled out.
There's also some uncertainty around Manor Solomon from Tottenham Hotspur, currently on loan at Leeds United. Despite being called up, Solomon has missed Leeds’ last four matches with a hamstring injury and is believed to have stayed in England for rehabilitation. His absence might pave the way for Red Bull Salzburg’s promising talent, Oscar Gloukh, to step into the lineup.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Israel possible starting lineup:
Gerafi; Feingold, Nachimas, Shlomo, Leidner; Abu Fani, Kanichowsky; Abada, Peretz, Gloukh; Baribo
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Konate, Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Dembele, Thuram, Barcola
EXPERT PREDICTION
Israel 0-2 France
France might need some time to adjust without Griezmann orchestrating their attack—especially with Mbappe also missing this month—but they managed well against Belgium and should have no trouble securing a win here.
While Israel has a few promising players up front, they’re unlikely to pose a serious threat to France's solid defense. We’re confident Deschamps's side will take this one comfortably.[/SPOILER]
