Italy vs France Preview: Storylines, Odds, Prediction as European Powers Meet

Storylines

Italy and France will face off in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday, October 12th. The match will be played at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. Both teams are coming off of impressive performances in the group stage, and the match is expected to be a close one. One of the storylines of the match will be the return of Karim Benzema to the French national team. Benzema has not played for France since 2015, but he was recalled to the squad for the UEFA Nations League Finals. Benzema is one of the most dangerous strikers in the world, and his return will give France a major boost. Another storyline of the match will be the battle between Italy's defense and France's attack. Italy has one of the best defenses in the world, and they have only conceded one goal in the UEFA Nations League so far. France, on the other hand, has one of the most potent attacks in the world, and they have scored 12 goals in the UEFA Nations League so far.

Odds

According to the oddsmakers, France is the favorite to win the match. France is currently listed at -120 to win, while Italy is listed at +330 to win. The draw is listed at +270.

Prediction

I predict that France will win the match 2-1. France has a more talented team, and they are in better form. Italy will make it difficult for France, but I think France will ultimately have too much firepower. **Here are some additional storylines to follow in the match:** * The match will be the first meeting between Italy and France since the 2018 FIFA World Cup. France won that match 4-3 in the round of 16. * Italy is the defending UEFA Nations League champion. They won the tournament in 2021. * France is the most successful team in the history of the UEFA Nations League. They have won the tournament twice (2018 and 2021). * The match will be played in front of a sold-out crowd at the San Siro.