France vs Italy Match Tips

A mouthwatering match lies in wait when France clash with Italy in their Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday evening - I cannot remember World Cup finalists crossing swords so quickly after the Finals itself. Thierry Henry has played down suggestions that France will be out for revenge. But while the Arsenal man is obviously right to intimate that the only motivation for beating Italy is to secure three points, we all know that the emotional river river will run far deeper than that. In the head to head record between these two nations, France have the edge, but only just. Les Bleus have prevailed in three of their eight encounters with Italy, while the latter side has won twice, and three matches ended all square. The Azzurri won the match that mattered most in Berlin on July 9 when lifting the World Cup after a penalty shoot-out. Even Italy's Fabio Cannavaro conceded, however, that France were the better team on the night. But many will view it as poetic justice, as Italy performed best in the Euro 2000 final, but France ended up winning courtesy of a David Trezeguet golden goal. You could say France and Italy are even. However, it would be folly to expect them to play as if this is indeed the case. Irrespective of what anyone says, this match will be played with a real edge and intensity about it. Marco Materazzi should not expect to be welcomed with open arms by the home crowd if he plays. His distasteful jibes directed at the now retired Zinedine Zidane during extra time of the World Cup Final antagonised the Frenchman, who uncharacteristically lashed out by head-butting Materazzi and was inevitably sent off. I am of the opinion that the French will be the ones smiling after this match and their anticipated victory will put them five points ahead of the Azzurri in their qualification group. At 5/4 with vcbet in the match result market, punters are advised to get stuck in. You can hardly call it compensation or revenge for being beaten in a World Cup Final, but Les Bleus can lay down a marker in this match - a signal of intent. Arsenal target Frank Ribery, who currently plies his trade with Marseille, is a key man for the French. There won't have been many players leaving Germany having accrued more miles on their clock than the 23-year-old, who excelled during the tournament, combining so much natural ability, pace and tenacity. He is a key man for France and will give the Italian defense a torrid time in Paris. Significantly, the French come into this game on the back of a cosy 3-0 beating of Georgia at the weekend, whereas Italy were held to a 1-1 draw by Lithuania in Naples, which followed a defeat at the hands of Croatia in a friendly, albeit when fielded a second-string team. All in all, the home side will be going into this match looking psychologically stronger despite being the losers in Berlin, for many of the Italian players will be short of full fitness owing to the delay to the start of their season caused by the Serie A scandal. Roberto Donadoni, who took over from Marcello Lippi a few days after the final, has named 14 players who played a part in Italy's World Cup victory within his 24-man squad, but strikers Francesco Totti, Luca Toni, Alessandro Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta have been left out. The Italians will be keen to prove that their World Cup Final win was no fluke, but on this occasion I reckon they will fail.2.5 pts France in the match result market @ 5/4 (VCBet)