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Zinedine Zidane faces Italy in his first home game as France coach, after opening with two 1-0 wins. Italy seek to recover from a 2-0 defeat to Belgium.
Zinedine Zidane takes charge of his first home match as France coach when Les Bleus face Italy in the Nations League on Sunday. The game is also his first meeting with Italy since 9 July 2006. France have opened Zidane's reign with two away games and two 1-0 wins, against Belgium and Turkey.
Zidane has made six changes to his side. Ousmane Dembele, Rayan Cherki, Adrien Truffert, Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot all come into the team. France line up with Maignan; Kalulu, Jacquet, Upamecano, Truffert; Da Cunha, Rabiot; Olise, Cherki, Doue; Dembele. Italy start with Donnarumma; Kayode, Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Frattesi, Tonali, Fagioli; Kean, P Esposito, S Esposito.
Zidane Builds On Champions League Record
As a manager, the sense of distance has only grown around Zidane. He won three Champions Leagues with Real Madrid without ever giving a clear sense of what his idea of football looked like. He is one of five coaches to have won the Champions League on three or more occasions, ranking alongside Bob Paisley, Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique and behind only Carlo Ancelotti. He is the only manager to win three successive Champions Leagues, yet few would consider him one of the game's elite coaches. In that spell he won one La Liga title.
Italy Seek Nations League Response
Italy's Nations League campaign got off to a bad start with a 2-0 defeat at home to Belgium, but they romped to a 4-1 win in Turkey on Tuesday. Roberto Mancini, who is beginning his second spell in charge, has also taken charge of the team during this period. We are only a third of the way through Nations League Group A1, but right now it feels like a shootout between Belgium and Italy for the second quarter-final place. Points taken off in these fixtures could shape the final standings.
The match in Group A1 carries weight for both sides. France arrive with two wins under Zidane, while Italy are looking to build on their victory in Turkey after the home loss to Belgium. The meeting is Zidane's first against Italy since the 2006 World Cup final on 9 July 2006, when he was a player. That date remains a reference point for both nations.
Zidane's coaching record includes three Champions League titles with Real Madrid and one La Liga title. Only Ancelotti has more Champions League wins among coaches. Paisley, Guardiola and Luis Enrique are the other managers with three or more. Zidane's three successive titles remain a unique achievement in the competition.
France's starting line-up reflects Zidane's changes. Dembele, Cherki, Truffert, Upamecano and Rabiot come in. Italy's team features Donnarumma in goal and a front line of Kean, P Esposito and S Esposito. The match is Zidane's first home game as France manager.
Group A1 Quarter-Final Race
Belgium and Italy are competing for the second quarter-final place in Group A1. Italy's 2-0 home defeat to Belgium and their 4-1 win in Turkey leave the group tightly contested. France's two 1-0 away wins have given Zidane a fine start. The points taken from these matches will be decisive as the campaign moves past its first third.
Zidane's first home game as France manager comes against an Italy side beginning a second spell under Mancini. The fixture is also his first against Italy since 9 July 2006. France will look to extend their winning start, while Italy aim to recover from the Belgium defeat and follow up the Turkey win.
Zinedine Zidane France National Team Italy National Team UEFA Nations League Real Madrid Roberto Mancini Champions League
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