France host Albania on Saturday as the next round of Euro 2020 qualifiers get under way.
France are top of Group H on goal difference and sit level on 9 points with Turkey and Iceland.
All three teams have won 3 and lost 1 of their opening four matches and France will be keen to clinch a high scoring victory against Albania to cement their place at the top of the table.
The hosts can go level with France if they win on Saturday after picking up 6 points from their four qualifying matches.
Albania have lost to Turkey and Iceland so far but wins against Andorra and Moldova have kept their chances of qualification alive.
Albania have been fairly strong at the back, conceding 3 goals in their last 4 matches. They have also scored 5 goals in reply.
On the other hand, France have conceded the same amount of goals but have managed to score 12 times.
Since becoming World champions in 2018, France have lost just twice in 11 matches.
Their Nationas League loss to Netherlands was followed by a shock 2-0 defeat to Turkey in June but the French returned to winning ways last time out with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Andorra.
The last meeting between France and Albania came in the group stage of Euro 2016 and France won 2-0 on that occasion.
Albania’s only victory over France came in 2015, as Albania picked up a shock 1-0 win in a friendly match.
In total, the two teams have faced each other seven times and the head-to-head record favours France (W5-D1-L1).
France will be without their star man Paul Pogba after the midfielder pulled out of the squad due to an ankle injury.
As a result, Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi has been given his first call up to the senior squad as Pogba’s replacement.
The 20-year-old put in a man of the match performance in the north London derby last weekend, and France manager Didier Deschamps has clearly been impressed by the youngster.
Albania will be looking to the likes of Napoli defender Elseid Hysaj and Malaga forward Armando Sadiku to try and cause an upset.
C’est parti pour le 1er entraînement de la saison ! 🇫🇷 #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/kFyMoCYQMS— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) September 2, 2019
C’est parti pour le 1er entraînement de la saison ! 🇫🇷 #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/kFyMoCYQMS
France are the clear favourites heading into this one and Albania will have to be at the very top of their game to get anything from the match.
Forebet predicts that France will cruise to a comfortable win without conceding a goal.