France Vs Albania: Les Bleus looking to maintain top spot in Group H

France host Albania in their latest Euro 2020 qualifying fixture, looking to maintain their position at the top of Group H.

France Vs Albania: Les Bleus looking to maintain top spot in Group H
Getty Images/Dan Mullan
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By Ben Robinson

Didier Deschamps' France side will be looking to make it four wins from five games in Group H as they host Albania at the Stade de France. 

Group H currently sees a three-way tie for the top spot as France, Turkey and Iceland all sit on nine points each. As a result, it is vital that the 2018 World Cup winners take all three points from Albania

The visitors face an outside chance of qualifying for UEFA Euro 2020, as they currently lie in fourth spot, having taken two wins from four games.

Team News

France are in the midst of an injury crisis currently. However, speaking ahead of the game, midfielder Blaise Matuidi was quick to silence the doubts, saying: "We are lucky to have huge pool with high-quality players.

"Large players are absent, but those who are there have done good things in the past for some, and others, new, have demonstrated what they could bring in."

Didier Deschamps will be without key players Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe as they both miss out through injury. Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is another missing, as he is sidelined with a knee injury. 

Meanwhile, the visitors have Serie A stars Elseid Hysaj and Etrit Berisha available. 

Head-To-Head

Unsurprisingly, it is the home side who dominate the head-to-head record between the two sides. Les Bleus won the last time they face each other, a 2-0 win at UEFA Euro 2016

Key Clashes

France have opted for a 4-2-3-1 so far this Euro 2020 qualifying campaign and it is unlikely to change for this game. That means that the key clash is likely to come between Albanian right-back Hysaj and Thomas Lemar, who is likely to deputise in place of Kylian Mbappe. 

Predicted Line-ups

France: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Sissoko, Matuidi, Lemar, Coman, Griezmann; Giroud

Albania: Berisha; Hysaj, Ismajli, Veseli, Mavraj; Abrashi, Xhaka, Ramadani; Uzuni, Balaj