France seeks revenge against Italy in Nations League showdown, states Lucas Digne

In September, Italy staged an impressive 3-1 comeback victory at the Parc des Princes in Paris, securing a win over their opponents in Group A2's opening game.

Luciano Spalletti’s Italy top the group with 13 points from five games, three ahead of second-placed France, who played out a lacklustre 0-0 draw with Israel on Nov 14.

Both teams have already sealed their spots for the quarter-finals scheduled for March.

“There’s definitely a spirit of sporting revenge in the group. When you lose to someone (Italy), you don’t want to lose twice, that’s a must, and I think that’s the spirit everyone will be in,” Digne told reporters on Nov 15.

“That said, they have a very good cohesion, they have a very good squad, a very good coach (Spalletti) who I know from my time at Roma, and he’s a great tactician, a great man.

“So it will be up to us to prepare as well as we can and work on the little details that we’re lacking at the moment.”

However, Sandro Tonali, Italy’s match-winner in their 1-0 win over Belgium at the King Baudouin Stadium on Nov 14, warned that the Azzurri are in a good place, having dropped just two points from five Nations League matches.

He said: “Our big change is how we approach every game. Every training session does us good. Each of us can’t wait for the next camp to start. We enjoy ourselves on the field, and we’re in a good place off it as well.”

The San Siro will be sold out for the clash between the former world champions and a tribute for Azzurri legend Gigi Riva has been planned.

Italy’s record goalscorer died in January after an impressive career that saw him win the European Championship in 1968 and reach the 1970 World Cup final.

Paolo Maldini, Christian Vieri, Giorgio Chiellini and several of Italy’s 2006 World Cup winning squad are all expected to attendance. 

In contrast to Riva, Digne is in line to make his 50th appearance for France against Italy, but the Aston Villa defender is yet to score a goal for the 2018 World Cup champions.

“As far as the goal is concerned, no one has teased me” on the French team, Digne said.

“But it’s true that it wouldn’t hurt to score a little one. After that, as far as the 50 caps are concerned, it’s a long way, a lot of hard work, and the more time goes by, the more I realise what 50 caps represents.

“I’m very proud of that. That said, I don’t have it yet.”

Meanwhile, a Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest was abandoned in stoppage time on Nov 15 after the visiting players walked off the field when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from the home fans.

With the match heading for a goalless draw, the Kosovars headed for the dressing room in the 93rd minute after home fans chanted, “Serbia! Serbia!” during a heated exchange between Kosovo captain Amir Rrahmani and Romanian striker Denis Alibec.

The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch. Uefa said it would communicate “further information in due course”.

“This is too much,” Rrahmani later told a news conference. “Everyone must know that Kosovo is Kosovo, or Kosovo is Albania. That’s it. This is where it ends.”

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognised by more than 100 countries, but not Romania.

The Romanian soccer federation was fined by Uefa in 2023 over pro-Serbia chanting and the display of a banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia” by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the countries at the same Arena Naionala.

In October, the Football Federation of Kosovo was fined a total of €61,000 euros by Uefa for incidents during September’s Nations League match against Romania in Pristina.

More than 90 per cent of the Kosovo population are of Albanian ethnicity, and opinion polls have shown overwhelming support in the country for the unification of the neighbouring states.