MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 08:05:42| >> :600:213307:213307:
[monks data]
France national football team
Nations League | League A
Nov 17, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
 
Sweden national football team

France
4 - 2
Sweden

Giroud (16', 59'), Pavard (36'), Coman (90+5')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Claesson (5'), Quaison (88')
Olsson (28')

Preview: France vs. Sweden - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Nations League clash between France and Sweden, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Top meets bottom on the final matchday in League A Group 3 in the UEFA Nations League as France welcome Sweden to the Stade de France on Tuesday evening.

The hosts have already secured qualification for next year's finals, whereas Sweden will attempt to pull off a monumental shock in their bid to avoid relegation.


Match preview

France players celebrate after beating Portugal in the Nations League on November 14, 2020© Reuters

World champions France had to overcome European and Nations League champions Portugal in order to guarantee top spot and a place in next year's finals, and Didier Deschamps's men did exactly that.

Les Bleus had suffered a shock friendly defeat to Finland prior to their clash with Portugal, but Deschamps's side rectified those midweek mistakes as they ran out 1-0 winners at the Estadio da Luz.

Les Bleus could not find a way past the seemingly impenetrable wall of Rui Patricio in the Portugal goal, but the Wolverhampton Wanderers shot-stopper was powerless to stop N'Golo Kante notching up the winning goal after he palmed the ball into the Frenchman's path.

With 13 points accrued from a possible 15, and a superior head-to-head record against Portugal, France have been assured of a spot in the final four after a dominant run in the group, and there is very little riding on this fixture for the World Cup winners.

This will be France's last game before they take to the pitch at next year's European Championships, and Deschamps will certainly be looking ahead to next summer's tournament as Les Bleus bid to go one better than they did in 2016.

Sweden manager Janne Andersson on November 13, 2017© Reuters

In contrast, Sweden must endeavour to defy the odds and somehow claim all three points against France if they are to give themselves the best chance of staying in League A.

Janne Andersson's men have already witnessed their Nordic neighbours Finland do just that, and Sweden finally managed to register their first points in League A Group 3 when they overcame Croatia 2-1 on Saturday.

Highly-rated Juventus winger Dejan Kulusevski notched up the first goal for Sweden, with Marcus Danielson then bagging the second before his own goal gave Croatia a glimmer of hope in the dying embers of the match.

Nevertheless, Sweden managed to hold on to give themselves a fighting chance of avoiding the drop, but Andersson's men must avoid defeat against France and hope that Portugal overcome Croatia if they are to climb out of danger and cement their position in League A.

A Kylian Mbappe winner was enough to see France take the spoils against Sweden in their inaugural group game, with the Blue and Yellow winning just two of their last 16 matches against the World Cup champions.

France Nations League form: WWDWW
France form (all competitions): WWDWLW

Sweden Nations League form: LLLLW
Sweden form (all competitions): LWLLLW


Team News

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante pictured on July 4, 2020© Reuters

Saturday's match winner Kante will play no part in France's final group game after the Chelsea man picked up his second booking of the group stage on matchday five.

Corentin Tolisso and Moussa Sissoko will both be hoping to deputise for Kante in midfield, with Deschamps likely to make a number of changes given the fact that France have little but pride to play for in this one.

Alterations in other areas of the pitch could see Marcus Thuram handed his first competitive start for the national team, with Clement Lenglet and Lucas Digne potentially returning to Deschamps's starting lineup as well.

Mbappe was not risked for the encounter with Portugal, and it seems unlikely that the Paris Saint-Germain forward will be thrust back into action in this unimportant game.

As for Sweden, Andersson could also make a couple of alterations despite the win over Croatia, with some of their big hitters left on the bench for that encounter.

Albin Ekdal was given his second booking of the tournament at the weekend and will be forced to miss this one out, with Mattias Svanberg, Viktor Claesson and Robin Quaison potentially in line for starting roles.

France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Pavard, Varane, Lenglet, Digne; Nzonzi, Rabiot, Tolisso; Griezmann, Thuram, Giroud

Sweden possible starting lineup:
Olsen; Lustig, Lindelof, Danielson, Bengtsson; Forsberg, Olsson, Svanberg, Claesson; Kulusevski, Berg


SM words green background

We say: France 2-0 Sweden

Sweden overcame France as recently as 2017, and with Andersson's men fighting for their right to remain in League A, the visitors will be incredibly motivated to march to a historic win. France have no reason to throw caution to the wind in this game with top spot already guaranteed, but even with a number of changes looking likely, we cannot see Deschamps's men coming out on the wrong end of the scoreline and expect Les Bleus to confirm Sweden's relegation with a straightforward victory on Tuesday.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


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Game History

Who will win Tuesday's Nations League clash between France and Sweden?

France
80.3%
Draw
10.6%
Sweden
9.1%
624
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France players celebrate after beating Portugal in the Nations League on November 14, 2020
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League A1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Portugal Portugal431010
2 Croatia Croatia42117
3 Poland Poland41124
4 Scotland flag Scotland40131

League A2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Italy Italy431010
2 France France43019
3 Belgium Belgium41124
4 Israel Israel40040

League A3

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Germany Germany431010
2 Netherlands Netherlands41215
3 Hungary Hungary41215
4 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina40131

League A4

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Spain Spain431010
2 Denmark Denmark42117
3 Serbia Serbia41124
4 Switzerland Switzerland40131

League B1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Czech Republic Czech Republic42117
2 Georgia Georgia42026
3 Albania national flag Albania42026
4 Ukraine Ukraine41124

League B2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Greece Greece440012
2 England flag England43019
3 Ireland Rep. Ireland41033
4 Finland Finland40040

League B3

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Norway Norway42117
2 Austria Austria42117
3 Slovenia Slovenia42117
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan40131

League B4

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Turkey Turkey431010
2 Wales flag Wales42208
3 Iceland Iceland41124
4 Montenegro Montenegro40040

League C1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Sweden Sweden431010
2 Slovakia Slovakia431010
3 Estonia Estonia41033
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan40040

League C2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Romania Romania440012
2 Kosovo flag Kosovo43019
3 Cyprus Cyprus41033
4 Lithuania Lithuania40040

League C3

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland42117
2 Belarus Belarus41306
3 Bulgaria Bulgaria41215
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg40222

League C4

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Macedonia N. Macedonia431010
2 Armenia Armenia41124
3 Latvia Latvia41124
4 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands40313

League D1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar31205
2 San Marino flag San Marino21013
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein30212

League D2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Republic of Moldova Moldova32016
2 Malta flag Malta32016
3 Andorra flag Andorra20020


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