2021-22 UEFA Nations League Semi-Finals – Belgium vs France Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Belgium vs France taking place? Belgium vs France will take place on Thursday 7th October, 2021 at 19:45 (UK)
Where is Belgium vs France taking place? Belgium vs France will take place at Allianz Stadium in Turin
Where can I get tickets for Belgium vs France? Click here for the latest ticket information for Belgium vs France
What TV channel is Belgium vs France on in the UK? Belgium vs France will be televised live on Sky Sports
Where can I stream Belgium vs France in the UK? Sky Sports subscribers can stream Belgium vs France live on Sky Go
THE LOWDOWN
BELGIUM
- After topping Group A2 in the Nations League ahead of European Championship finalists England with five wins from their six games, Belgium’s ‘golden generation’ now find themselves just two victories away from cementing their legacy with a first major international honour.
- Experienced defender Thomas Meunier and has withdrawn from the squad due to a knee problem with Timothy Castagne expected to start at right-wing-back, whilst left-wing-back Thorgan Hazard, plus wide forwards Dries Mertens and Jeremy Doku are also unavailable through injury, however Belgium’s key attacking trio of Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard are all fit and available.
FRANCE
- The Nations League group stage saw France accrue the highest points tally of the four semi-finalists, having won five and drawn one of their six Group A3 fixtures and here they will hope to rectify their performance in this past summer’s European Championships, which saw them eliminated in the Round of 16.
- Didier Deschamps will have to make do without midfielder enforcer N’Golo Kante, who was not named in Les Blues’ squad after testing positive for Covid-19 and in his absence, Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot is likely to partner Paul Pogba in the centre of France’s midfield.
THE TEAM NEWS
BELGIUM
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Courtois; Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen; Castagne, Tielemans, Witsel, Carrasco; De Bruyne, Lukaku, E. Hazard
UNAVAILABLE: Doku (Injured), T. Hazard (Injured), Mertens (Injured), Meunier (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
FRANCE
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Lloris; Kounde, Varane, Kimpembe; Pavard, Pogba, Rabiot, Hernandez; Griezmann; Mbappe, Benzema
UNAVAILABLE: Coman (Injured), Kante (Isolating)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
This feels like something of a judgement week for Belgium and head coach Roberto Martinez as the only country of the four Nations League semi-finalists not to have won a major honour this century despite boasting such quality individual players within their ranks. In France, they face the nation that beat them by a goal to nil in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, with Les Blues ultimately becoming World Champions. The absence of Kante represents a significant blow to France, however they still appear to contain the superior squad in terms of all-round quality across the pitch, rather than just in one position. As both teams are set to unleash a plethora of world class attacking players on their opponents, the key to this contest is expected to be within the defence of each side. With the likes of Varane and Kimpembe, France have a backline capable of dealing with Lukaku and Hazard, whilst Belgium’s defence in comparison are significantly ageing and their lack of pace is likely to be ruthlessly exposed by Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. This is expected to prove the decisive factor between these two heavy hitters, so back France to ultimately come out on top.
Tip: FRANCE TO WIN
