Prediction: Greece vs France

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

Following their historic and record-breaking victory, France conclude an outstanding Euro 2024 qualifying campaign as they journey to Athens to face Greece on Tuesday night.

Les Bleus upheld their flawless performance in Group B, securing a stunning 14-0 victory against Gibraltar on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Pirate Ship, referring to the Greece national team, also claimed success in their latest match by defeating New Zealand 2-0 in a friendly encounter.

Greece

With just a little over five and a half thousand spectators present at the Georgios Karamas Stadium for Greece’s recent showdown against New Zealand in a friendly match, one might have felt a lingering sense of the COVID era had they tuned in to Friday’s exhibition contest.

Despite the noticeable absence of a vibrant atmosphere, Gus Poyet’s team demonstrated a highly professional attitude to secure a 2-0 victory on their home ground. Giannis Konstantelias’s cross found its way into the side of the net, eluding everyone for the opening goal, followed by Georgios Giakoumakis securing the win just before the half-hour mark.

Prior to clashing with New Zealand, Greece still harbored mathematical hopes of surpassing the Netherlands for the second automatic qualification spot in Group B. However, with the Oranje prevailing over the Republic of Ireland 1-0 over the weekend, Poyet’s team had to settle for a third-place finish.

Nevertheless, Greece have already secured a place among the 12 nations competing in the playoffs, aiming to break a 12-year absence from the continent’s premier tournament. Following their quarter-final exit in Euro 2012 and two unsuccessful qualifying campaigns, the 2004 European champions seek a return to prominence.

Ending the year on a high note, Greece have triumphed in three of their last four matches across all competitions, conceding only one goal in the process. Moreover, they have not conceded multiple goals in a home Euros qualifier since 2019.

Team News

Poyet will face the absence of two key starting midfielders this week, with Petros Mantalos and Dimitrios Kourbelis both serving one-game suspensions after receiving their third caution in Group B against the Netherlands last month.

To fill the void left by the banned pair, Andreas Bouchalakis and Dimitrios Pelkas are expected to step into the hosts’ midfield for the upcoming match. Fortunately, Poyet’s squad emerged unharmed physically from their victory over New Zealand, suggesting that most of the starting XI from that game will likely retain their positions.

Notably absent from the matchday squad against New Zealand was Cardiff City’s Manolis Siopis, along with his teammate Dimitrious Goutas. Whether the duo will be available to face Les Bleus remains uncertain.

France

The recent display of defensive resilience by Greece might seem insignificant when compared to France’s recent showcase of attacking dominance. Didier Deschamps’ ruthless squad notched an impressive 14 goals against Gibraltar at the Allianz Riviera on Saturday, setting a new national team record in the process.

Although France’s earlier 3-0 victory over Gibraltar in Group B left room for improvement, even before Gibraltar went down to 10 men due to Ethan Santos’s straight red card for a harsh tackle on Warren Zaire-Emery, the outcome seemed predetermined.

Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick, Kingsley Coman and Olivier Giroud’s braces, Zaire-Emery’s debut goal, and Jonathan Clauss’s thunderous strike were among the highlights of the evening. Youssouf Fofana, Ousmane Dembele, Marcus Thuram, Adrien Rabiot, and Santos’s third-minute own goal also contributed to the comprehensive victory in Nice.

Following their record-breaking triumph, France, already assured of finishing atop Group B, secured a place in Pot 1 for the Euro 2024 group-stage draw. However, Les Bleus aim for more than pride this week, seeking their seventh consecutive away victory in Euros qualifying as they conclude 2023.

Greece’s sole competitive victory against France came in the Euro 2004 quarter-final en route to their remarkable continental success. Nonetheless, Les Bleus have since secured consecutive victories over the Pirate Ship, with only an Mbappe penalty separating the two nations in their most recent encounter in June.

Team News

France’s commanding victory against Gibraltar was marred by the injury to debutant and scorer Zaire-Emery, a consequence of Santos’s challenge, which warranted a red card as the Paris Saint-Germain youngster struck the ball for his debut goal with France.

Deschamps indicated that Zaire Emery likely doesn’t seem to have sustained any broken bones. Nonetheless, a suspected sprain will likely sideline the 17-year-old from Tuesday’s match, potentially opening the door for Fofana, Boubacar Kamara, or Khephren Thuram to feature in the middle of the park.

With France already secure in first place and with a spot in Pot 1, Deschamps is expected to make several changes to his lineup for the final qualifying fixture. This could include the inclusion of Jules Kounde, Lucas Hernandez, Brice Samba, and Randal Kolo Muani.

Conclusion

Tuesday’s match could serve as a reality check for France, as breaking down a defensively resilient Greece side might not be as straightforward as dismantling a Gibraltar team reduced to 10 men. Poyet’s team will have an additional day to recuperate from their previous efforts.

However, the absence of key figures like Kourbelis and Mantalos is a significant setback for the Greece team. Even with potential alterations in their lineup, the prediction remains that France will conclude their flawless qualification campaign with a 100% record.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: Olympusbet