France will have one eye on the FIFA World Cup as they get set to take on Austria in the UEFA Nations League, and they could definitely use the match to get back on track after a string of poor results.
Somehow, Les Bleus are in danger of relegation to League B of the UEFA Nations League, currently winless in their first four group stage matches. They have just two points, with draws against Croatia and Austria, plus losses to Denmark and Croatia.
Sitting bottom of Group A as a result, they are already eliminated from reaching the finals and require points from these final two matches to avoid dropping down to the second tier.
Good form in these final two games before the 2022 World Cup will be essential as manager Didier Deschamps hopes to help his team find its groove ahead of their World Cup title defense in Qatar, where they are still tabbed as one of the favorites.
They'll have to do so without midfield stars Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante who are both injured for this international break, with the former's health a real concern for the upcoming World Cup. Karim Benzema is also missing due to injury, a blow to the attack that will now prominently feature superstar Kylian Mbappe.
How To Watch
Match: France vs Austria
Date & Time: September 22 @ 7:45 PM (BST) / 2:45 PM (ET)
Venue: Stade de France, Paris, France
TV Channel: Fox Sports, TelevisaUnivision
Online Streaming: UEFA.tv, fuboTV, ViX+, Optus Sport & Sony Liv (Try for free)
Watch in Canada: DAZN Canada (Try for free)
Team News
France: France are missing both Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante in midfield due to injury, with Pogba's status for the World Cup in serious doubt. That leaves Real Madrid duo Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga as the likely starters, with Matteo Guendouzi also pushing for a spot.
Up front, Kylian Mbappe is a fixture of the France attack, and a mix of Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, and Christopher Nkunku will be available for selection alongside him. Star striker Karim Benzema misses out due to injury.
In defense, Presnel Kimpembe will sit out with a knock, leaving Raphael Varane and in-form Arsenal defender William Saliba as the likely center-back pairing. Hugo Lloris was left out of the squad, meaning Mike Maignan should start in goal.
Austria: Real Madrid's David Alaba captains the Austria side, which is also fighting for survival in League A. Austria did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup, meaning there will be no experimentation from head coach Ralf Rangnick.
It's a toss-up whether established veteran Heinz Lindner or young upstart Patrick Pentz start in goal, with each getting a shot in the last international window.
Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer has carved himself out a spot at the German club and therefore should be a no-brainer in the Austria midfield.
Prediction: Despite the poor UEFA Nations League form and the key injuries, France are still considered contenders to hoist the FIFA World Cup this December, and are therefore favored heavily to win this match.
Without Pogba and Kante, however, this France team is weakened significantly. Eduardo Camavinga in particular has not yet proven he is capable of a full 90 minutes at the international level. The loss of Benzema is also tough for France to navigate, as Antoine Grizemann has only seen spotty club minutes at Atletico Madrid, and Christopher Nkunku is still green at the international level.
These factors could mean Austria give France a real fight, and even if they don't eventually pull out a result, they should be able to find the back of the net once and put Les Bleus under real pressure.
Score Prediction: France 2 - 1 Austria