Israel take on the visitors France in the round 3 match of UEFA Nations League group stage. The match will be played on Thursday, October 10th at Bozsik Arena (Budapest).
Israel have only reached major international stages back when they played in Asia. Their move under UEFA's jurisdiction was driven by political rather than sporting reasons. Currently, the team faces a threat of disqualification, a demand led not only by Palestine. Ironically, this is happening just as the team is on the rise—though they failed to qualify for the Euros, losing a playoff match to Iceland despite playing well. However, they did win their group in League B of the Nations League, earning a promotion to the top tier. Unfortunately, they haven't been competitive at this higher level, losing 1-3 to Belgium and 1-2 to Italy in September. There are also questions about coach Ben Shimon's decision to exclude veterans, including Eran Zahavi, as he seems focused on giving younger players experience in preparation for future World Cup qualification battles.
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France learns to play without Griezmann. The "Les Bleus" were shocked by a last-minute announcement from Antoine Griezmann at the end of last month: he’s stepping away immediately, not waiting for the World Cup or even the conclusion of the Nations League. At that point, the midfielder had 137 caps—equal to Giroud, with only Thuram and Lloris having played more. Yes, the captain’s armband now belongs to Mbappé, who has his own fitness concerns, but Griezmann’s work rate had long been a gold standard for dedication. This gives Deschamps another headache, as the French team already faces numerous problems, including a crowded injury list and a stumble at the start of this campaign with a loss to Italy. However, they bounced back with a solid 2-0 win over Belgium in September. Even with these issues, Didier gave Mbappé a rest to recover for future matches.
The last time these teams met was in the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup—back when Didier had just retired from playing. Back then, "Les Bleus" were held to two draws by the underdogs. Despite their personnel problems, the visitors are simply much stronger. Bet on France to win with a "-1.5 goals" handicap.
Prediction for the match: France to win with -1.5 handicap.
