France vs Azerbaijan: Les Bleus Set for Another Goal Fest in Paris
France vs Azerbaijan Match Preview
It’s shaping up to be a long night for Azerbaijan in Paris as France looks ready to run riot again. The two sides have only met twice before — both times ending in huge wins for Les Bleus — and there’s little to suggest this one will be any different. Didier Deschamps’ squad is stacked with talent, and even with a few absences, they should easily handle a struggling Azeri team still reeling from recent heavy defeats.
Form Guide
France has been cruising lately, winning four of their last five matches and keeping three clean sheets along the way. Deschamps’ men are firing on all cylinders, looking sharp and ruthless in attack. Their 8–0 The thrashing of Kazakhstan a few years back shows just how dangerous they can be when facing weaker opponents.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is in a bad spot. They were smashed 5–0 by Iceland in their most recent game and got hammered 6–0 by Sweden not long before that. Confidence is clearly rock bottom, and with a caretaker coach at the helm, it’s hard to imagine them putting up much of a fight in Paris.
Head-to-Head Record
The last time these two met was way back in 1995 — France ran out 10–0 winners. Before that? An 8–0 victory in Paris against Kazakhstan three years ago, showing the gulf in class between Deschamps’ side and these lower-ranked nations. It’s safe to say history doesn’t favor the visitors here.
Team News
France won’t be at full strength this time, but their squad depth makes up for it. Marcus Thuram and Bradley Barcola are both sidelined, while Aurélien Tchouaméni serves a suspension after his red card against Iceland. Still, Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise are in top form and should start, with Kingsley Coman and Hugo Ekitike likely joining the attack.
Deschamps might also use this as a chance to hand young Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche another appearance — a good opportunity to give some minutes to rising talent without much risk.
Azerbaijan, on the other hand, are dealing with bigger problems. After Fernando Santos was shown the door, interim boss Aykhan Abbasov has had little time to steady the ship. Expect them to park the bus in a 5-4-1 setup and hope for the best.
Prediction
This feels like a mismatch from start to finish. France are too strong, too fast, and too confident right now. If they get an early goal, things could get ugly quickly. Azerbaijan will probably hang on for a bit with their defensive setup, but it’s hard to see them avoiding another heavy loss.
Prediction: France 6–0 Azerbaijan
Players to Watch
Kylian Mbappé – The obvious danger man. Expect him to run rings around Azerbaijan’s defense.
Michael Olise – In fantastic form lately, his creativity and movement could open up tons of space.
Maghnes Akliouche – If he gets a run-out, this could be his breakout moment on the international stage.
Betting Tips
France to Win to Nil – With three clean sheets in their last five, this looks solid.
Over 4.5 Goals – France love a goal fest against weaker teams.
Mbappé Anytime Scorer – He’s the go-to man for goals and penalties alike.
Wrap Up
Azerbaijan will try to survive the onslaught, but this match has “big win” written all over it for France. With the home crowd behind them and a world-class attack on the pitch, Les Bleus should stroll to another easy three points on their road to World Cup qualification.