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France are under a bit of pressure to ensure top spot in Group D after a goalless draw with the Netherlands but they do have the fortune of playing their final game against a Poland side that became the first team to be eliminated from UEFA EURO 2024.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Tuesday 25th June, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US EST – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – BBC / US – FOX
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – BBC iPlayer / US – VIX
FRANCE PREVIEW: LACK OF PRECISION AND INCISION
France headed into the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the trophy and they have collected four points from two tough matches, one without key man Kylian Mbappe, without conceding but they have remained unconvincing in those games with a little bit of a need to show some more attacking intent and quality outside of Mbappe.
Didier Deschamps’ side needed an own goal to breakdown and defeat an excellent Austrian side in their opener and then needed some luck from a controversial VAR decision in order to avoid defeat against the Netherlands. They do, though, have a habit of starting tournaments like this and will inevitably go deep into the competition.
POLAND PREVIEW: SALVAGING SOME PRIDE
Poland endured a fairly miserable qualifying campaign and needed penalties to defeat Wales in Cardiff in their playoff final with Michal Probierz, replacing Fernando Santos, yet to really get a tune out of them before the tournament kicked off. That said, when they took the lead against the Netherlands and only lost by two goals to one, there was some hope.
That hope soon faded on Friday, though, when they eventually became ragged and torn apart by the aforementioned Austrians with a 3-1 defeat at the Olympiastadion in Berlin eliminating them after just two matches and two matches in which they have been unable to start the game with talisman Robert Lewandowski.
FRANCE TEAM NEWS: MBAPPE MAY RETURN
Reports in the French media have suggested that Kylian Mbappe will return to captain France in what is now a crucial game in Group D with the Real Madrid forward wearing a mask to protect his broken nose. Aurelien Tchouameni returned to the eleven against the Netherlands but is once again a doubt with injury.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Mbappe, Griezmann
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Tchouameni (Injured), Mbappe (Injured)
POLAND TEAM NEWS: LEWA STILL MAY NOT START
Poland captain Robert Lewandowski sat out their opening game against the Netherlands in which they lost by two goals to one before then being a second-half substitute against the Austrians. With Poland already out his fitness remains in doubt and he may not be involved but there is an expectation that the Barcelona forward does finally start this one.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Szczesny; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Frankowski, Slisz, Piotrowski, Zalewski; Zielinski; Lewandowski, Piatek
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Lewandowski (Injured)
KEY STATS
FRANCE VS POLAND PREDICTION
France will win Group D if they better the Netherlands’ scoreline against Austria and that is key. Group D winners head into the bottom-half of the knockout stage draw and that means they will avoid the likes of Germany, Portugal and Spain. Poland, on the other hand, will simply be aiming to avoid humiliation and head home without a point but that seems extremely unlikely and an extremely comfortable French victory is to be expected.
FRANCE VS POLAND TIP: FRANCE TO WIN -1 HANDICAP