Prediction: France vs Greece

Verdict: France win & Under 4.5 goals

Best Odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

Looking to extend on their Group B romp when they return to the Stade de France on Monday night, Les Bleus will welcome Greece to Paris.

France

Starting with the hosts, while France might have suffered major World Cup final heartbreak out in Qatar over the winter, Les Bleus certainly aren’t showing any signs of a hangover. Opening their return to EURO qualifying duties over the weekend as they breezed their way to a 3-0 romp away at Gibraltar, Didier Deschamps’ men appear to be breezing their way towards next year’s European Championships. Along with opening their Group I adventure on March 24th with a thumping 4-0 victory against fellow European icons Holland, the former world champions have now won each of their first three qualifying showdowns by an aggregate score of 8-0. Knowing that they can all but officially punch a top-two finish when they return to Paris on Monday night, Deschamps’ superstar squad will be confident of making another statement here.

Team News

Both finding the net in France’s 3-0 romp away at Gibraltar over the weekend, Olivier Giroud should once again partner PSG icon Kylian Mbappe in the final third. Making his international debut a few days ago, former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba will start between the sticks in Paris on Monday night.

With Deschamps expected to make a handful of changes here, the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Christopher Nkunku and Youssouf Fofana will all be hoping for a full recall at the Stade de France.

Greece

As for the visitors, while many might have been shocked last year as Gus Poyet was announced Greece’s new manager, the Ethniki have enjoyed a real flurry under the one-time Brighton boss. Marking their return to qualifying duties over the weekend with a 1-0 victory at home against Ireland, the one-time European champions suddenly find themselves tipped as a standout pick to follow France out of Group I. With their sights firmly set on making a return to the major tournament stage, Poyet’s side have lost just one of their last six appearances across all competitions – a run that stems back to September 24th. Likewise, opening their qualifying adventure on March 24th with a 3-0 victory away at Gibraltar, Greece have certainly shown some recent improvements in the final third.

Team News

Notching his 12th international strike against Ireland a few days ago and with no player in Poyet’s squad recording more goals, skipper Anastasios Bakasetas will have a key role to play in Paris. Along with Liverpool’s Konstantinos Tsimikas, Sheffield United defender George Baldock will also feature on Monday night.

While Atlanta forward Georgios Giakoumakis might have impressed during his 20-minute cameo appearance in Athens over the weekend, the former Celtic man will likely have to settle for another spot on the bench.

Key Factors to Consider

• Including their 3-0 victory away at Gibraltar over the weekend, France have won each of their opening three qualifying appearances by an aggregate score of 8-0.
• Likewise, despite their World Cup final heartbreak at the hands of Argentina over the winter, Les Bleus have won six of their previous seven showdowns across all competitions.
• Along with opening their Group I campaign with back-to-back victories, Greece have lost just one of their previous six appearances across all formats.
• However, the Ethniki have recorded just a trio of wins from any of their last 11 EURO qualifying appearances on foreign soil – a run that stems all the way back to October 2011.
• Monday’s hosts have not suffered a single EURO qualifying defeat at the Stade de France since way back in September 2010.

Conclusion

Although Greece might have continued on a real Group I flurry since opening their qualifying campaign, the Ethniki will be more than aware that they face a monumental challenge when they travel to Paris on Monday night. Watching France show no signs of a post-World Cup hangover, Les Bleus are breezing their way to next year’s European Championships without breaking much of a sweat. Marking their return to international duties over the weekend with a routine 3-0 romp away at Gibraltar, Deschamps’ superstar squad have won each of their first three qualifying appearances by an aggregate score of 8-0. While Greece might travel to Paris with the mood in their camp at a continued high, it is hard to see the one-time European champions pulling off what would be a famous victory on home soil.

Verdict: France win & Under 4.5 goals

Best Odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: Olympusbet