David Easson previews Friday night's matches in the nations league with betting tips on matches including the clash between European giants France and Italy.
France and Italy both need to bounce back from the Euros, where each stank the place out in their own particular ways.
Although they got to the semi-finals, the French were never convincing with just 2 wins in normal time and misfiring – or absent – forwards. It’s worse now in terms of numbers with Giroud retired. The pressure really is on Mbappe now, but that’s how he wants it. He should be more than the difference here and his goal for Madrid last weekend will have helped.
Italy are still trying to find their way under Spalletti. They didn’t spark in the summer and dropped out in a poor performance against Switzerland in the last 16. Mateo Retegui, Giacomo Raspadori and Lorenzo Pellegrini come in for them as they search for goals but the French are mean at the back – unless you’re Spanish.
The storyline tells us this should be Mbappe and a France win and I can’t put you off that. I’d suggest Italy struggle in front of goal again. I can’t be confident in both teams scoring or over 2.5 goals but France to win to nil and Mbappe getting his poster-boy goal should do.
The Craig Bellamy era starts for Wales against Turkey in Cardiff.
The Welsh missed out on the Euros while the Turks thrived. You’ll be excited to know that Aaron Ramsey is still only 33! He’ll be important to Bellamy as his captain among a lot of young players.
They will be right up against it when Vincenzo Montella's attacking side come to town. They lit up the Euros and will be hoping to take that momentum into this. It’s a good first test for the new Welsh side. These sides faced off in the Euro 2024 qualifiers and it was the Turks who came out on top with a 1-1 draw in Cardiff and a 2-0 win in Turkey.
Baris Yilmaz had a good Euros leading the line for the Turks and he’s scored a couple for Galatasaray this season – although some pressure’s just been added for him with his new strike partner Victor Osimhen! Back him to score in a Turkey win. Arda Guler is still without a Madrid start this season but he’ll be looking to set up or even score another as well. Worth a look if he starts here.
Every Turkey game at the Euros went over 2.5 goals – and I’m taking them for the win and overs on the goals.
Iceland are trying to move on from their Golden Generation but they’ve now got Gylfi Sigurdsson back in the side as a reminder of what they once had. They start against a Montenegro who could make a few waves in this group.
They came third in their Euro qualifying group in front of teams like Lithuania and Bulgaria so this is one to keep an eye on. I think the Montenegrans can get something from this.
It may just be a goal in an entertaining game because Iceland is a tough place to get a result but the Montenegrans love an away goal.
Both to score and over 2.5 goals is the shout at 6/4
Turkey to win and over 2.5 goals against Wales 4/1
France to win to nil, Mbappe to score is 15/4
That's a treble of bet builders of over 58/1 which can never make up for the fact it's an international break SO SOON, but it'll have to do.
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