Zinédine Zidane is preparing for his big debut at the Stade de France. On Friday night against Italy, the France coach is expected to make further changes to his starting XI following wins over Turkey and Belgium. With Kylian Mbappé ruled out, several positions remain up for grabs, and Zizou could still spring a surprise with his selection.
Two matches, two 1-0 victories, and already plenty of lessons learned. Since taking charge of France, Zinédine Zidane has not hesitated to rotate his squad and test different combinations. Against Italy on Friday, October 2 at 8:45 p.m. at the Stade de France, the coach is expected to continue along the same path. Mike Maignan looks certain to start in goal, with Jules Koundé likely to play at right-back. The left-back position is far less clear, however, with Adrien Truffert and Andy Diouf competing for the spot.
Jacquet and Da Cunha could be Zidane’s surprise choices
In central defence, Dayot Upamecano appears to have the edge, but the identity of his partner remains uncertain. Jérémy Jacquet has impressed with Les Bleus, while Maxence Lacroix also performed well against Belgium. Foot Mercato has described the decision as one of Zidane’s first genuine selection headaches. Jacquet could therefore retain his starting place for such an important fixture, although some projections favour Lacroix. In midfield, Adrien Rabiot is well placed to start against opponents he knows extremely well from his time at AC Milan, while Rayan Cherki is also regularly tipped to feature. Lucas Da Cunha could be the real surprise after an impressive performance as a holding midfielder. The Como player is competing directly with Manu Koné, while Eduardo Camavinga remains another option.
Up front, Mbappé’s absence changes everything. The France captain, who suffered a knee injury against Turkey, has been ruled out for the remainder of the international break. Ousmane Dembélé should move into the central role, with Michael Olise on the right. On the left, Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué are battling for the final place. Doué could be Zidane’s bold choice after impressing in his recent minutes for France. The probable French line-up is: Maignan – Koundé, Upamecano, Jacquet, Diouf – Da Cunha, Rabiot, Cherki – Olise, Dembélé, Doué. Other credible options would see Lacroix replace Jacquet, Koné come in for Da Cunha and Barcola take Doué’s place.
Italy, meanwhile, are expected to build their side around Donnarumma, Bastoni, Tonali, Barella and Pio Esposito, although predictions also differ over several positions. One possible XI is: Donnarumma – Di Lorenzo, Scalvini, Bastoni, Calafiori – Frattesi, Tonali, Barella – Kean, Pio Esposito, Raspadori. After two victories without conceding a goal, Zidane could use this high-profile clash to continue shaping his team. Jacquet in defence, Da Cunha in midfield or Doué in attack: at least one of those selections could provide the surprise in France’s starting XI against Italy.
