French too sexy for Milan

As current world champions it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that Italy can get the better of France in their European qualifying match in Milan but Roberto Donadoni's side will do well to just avoid humiliation at San Siro on Saturday night. On a memorable, if controversial, night in Berlin, the Azzurri famously lifted the World Cup at the expense of Raymond Domenech's side last summer but 14 months is a long time in football and the shift in balance between two of Europe's footballing superpowers has already taken place in the interim months. France have gone some way to avenging their penalty shoot-out defeat in Germany with a 3-1 Euro 2008 qualifying win in Paris last September with Sidney Govou, twice, and Thierry Henry on target for Les Bleus and, now, with just five matches remaining to decide who qualifies for the finals next summer it is France who are sitting pretty atop Group B with a precious two-point lead over their transalpine cousins. With an improving Scotland outfit just a point adrift of Italy and Ukraine tucked just three points behind the Scots with a crucial game in hand the home side can ill afford another defeat. However, following their recent 3-1 defeat against Hungary in a friendly last month there is little cause for Italian hope. France may be without Zinedine Zidane these days, but who needs Zizou when you have Franck Ribéry? The former Marseille wide man may look like something out of Nightmare on Elm Street but it will be the Italian defence, bereft of the injured Marco Materazzi and the retired Alessandro Nesta, who will be having sleepless nights over the dazzling winger, who has already left a trail of shelled out Bundesliga defences in his wake in his fledgling Bayern Munich career. Throw Thierry Henry, Florian Malouda and a reborn Nicoas Anelka into the mix and Gianluigi Buffon must already be saying his Hail Marys. The fired-up French have also been making detrimental comments about their opponents, with Domenech banned from the touchline for accusations about bribed referees and Lassana Diarra most recently dubbing Italy a "nation of provokers and cheats." Luca Toni is also losing his battle for fitness leaving Russia-based Cristiano Lucarelli and the ageing Filippo Inzaghi on standby for what, unless Italy manage to get Ribery sent off, can surely only be a French victory. Give Italy a one-goal handicap and take France at 8/1 with Paddy Power. Verdict: 3pts France to bt Italy @ 5/4 (Bet365); 2pts France to bt Italy + 1 goal handicap @ 8/1; 1pt Anytime goalscorer Florent Malouda @ 5/1 (PaddyPower), 2pts Anytime goalscorer Thierry Henry 13/5 (PaddyPower), 0.5pt France to win by three goals @ 35/1 (PaddyPower)