International Friendly: France To Geap More Misery On Germany

Germany vs France

Two of Europe’s biggest nations, and favourites for Euro 2024, come face to face on Tuesday when International Friendly: Germany vs France is the big draw at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.

There will be no deafening Yellow Wall at the famous stadium, more likely a nervous crowd hoping for some respite from a miserable run of form, which has put head coach Hansi Flick under serious pressure as Germany prepares to host Euro 2024. His opposite number, Didier Deschamps has been France manager since 2012, leading his country to the final of Euro 2016, to be World Champions in 2018 and World Cup finalists in 2022.

Deschamps can keep the job as ling as he wants!

The two teams are in contrasting form and for the beleaguered Germans; it doesn’t get much harder than facing up to France.      

Talking Points

Germany desperate for a pick-up

The pre-match Germany vs France betting odds are pointing to a hard fought contest but if Germany’s recent form is anything to go by, it could be a massacre. Flick’s team were humiliated by Japan on Saturday as the side ranked 23^rd by FIFA ran out 4-1 winners. The sense of foreboding grew as German side leaked goal after goal and they have now won just four of their last 17 games.

Elimination in the group stages at the World Cup in Qatar was a repeat of Germany’s failings in 2018 and Flick is now under serious pressure. This proud nation will not want to be embarrassed at their home tournament and they need to see some progress…and quickly. The eyes of the world will be on this match and another spanking could even see the end of Flick’s underwhelming reign. Midfield star Jonas Hofmann summed the situation up, saying: “There is always pressure, and we create it ourselves as well. This is part of daily stuff in football. This time the pressure is a bit more and it is clear to all why.”

Germany have the players to pull Flick out of the mire. Midfield stars Ilkay Gundogan of Barcelona and Hofmann of Bayer Leverkusen are proven quality while Kai Havertz is starting to show how good he can be at Arsenal. The Bayern Munich front three of Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane all have good goals to games ratios; but the defence, which has conceded 13 goals in a winless streak of five matches, is a concern.

This team needs mental strength as much as physical ability, a quality you would normally associate with German football sides, and it is time to show it.    

Les Bleus are purring

In total contrast to their neighbours, France are enjoying their football and they are in great form in 2023, winning all five games, scoring 11 goals and conceding none. Kylian  

Mbappe is still at Paris Saint-Germain and scoring for fun and he led the team to a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland last week, a result which took them to the brink of Euro 2024 qualification, with a maximum haul of 15 points and a lead of nine over the Netherlands in second place in Group B.  

Les Bleus home game against the Republic of Ireland turned out to be another comfortable win but it could have been by a much bigger margin as France had 70 per cent possession and 22 shots on the Irish goal, but for once Mbappe was wasteful in front of goal. Defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni opened the scoring with a scorching effort from distance and Marcus Thuram, a substitute for the injured Olivier Giroud, doubled the lead minutes after the half time break.

France will qualify for Germany 2024 at a canter and the hosts will just be pleased they don’t have to qualify!  

History

Les Bleus have had the better of the head to head Germany vs France results in recent years. France have won six of the last 11 meetings, drawing three and losing two; and, while France are on a five match winning streak Germany have failed to win any of their last five and I just can’t see either sequence ending in Dortmund on Tuesday.

Betting Tip

Germany are priced at 2.49 to win, with the draw at 3.06 and France at 2.37. Flick’s team has dropped to 12^th place in the FIFA World rankings compared to France in third but the gap between the two nations seems even bigger than that at the moment.  

A 1-1 draw is the most likely outcome at SBOTOP odds of 5.22 with a France win by 2-1 second in line at 8.20; but for either of those outcomes to happen, Germany must be the first team to score against Les Bleus in 2023.   

 

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