A cracker in the Nations League DFB against fearful opponents Italy - France's offensive power with returning Mbappé

Eight teams are competing in the Nations League for a place in the final tournament (Final Four), which will take place from June 4 to 8, 2025. This is the starting position ahead of the quarter-final duels.

The heads up on the four fixturesTwo new hopefuls, a newcomer and the legend

Croatia - France

Following their semi-final exit at the European Championship against eventual winners Spain, coach Didier Deschamps' team - the 56-year-old will retire after the 2026 World Cup - lost to Italy to kick off their Nations League campaign.

Since then, however, the Équipe Tricolore has returned to form. They defeated Belgium twice, won and drew against Israel and finally got their revenge against Italy.

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Deschamps is spoiled for choice, especially in attack. The statistics are impressive.

The focus is of course on Mbappé, who returns to les Bleus after a six-month absence - as captain. The Real star has not been in the national team since October. "He's entitled to have a phase where he's not doing so well," Deschamps said at the time.

Off the pitch, Mbappé had come under pressure because local media reported on rape investigations following a trip to Sweden by the goalscorer. However, the investigation was dropped in December due to a lack of evidence. After not being called up in the autumn, rumors circulated that the two alpha animals had fallen out.

Now the 2018 world champion emphasizes: "I arrive as if I had never been away." The attacker, who played for PSG for seven years before moving to Spain, says of his relationship with Deschamps: "We've celebrated successes together - our relationship can't end up in the garbage can because of two or three differences of opinion that aren't serious at all."

Doue also found out that discipline fanatic Deschamps is not to be trifled with when he first entered the camp. "You got together with Warren (Zaïre-Emery)? That's why you're late? There are some coaches who would send you away immediately."

In the rematch of the 2018 World Cup final, Mbappé and Dembélé are joined in the squad by Benjamin Pavard. Dominik Livaković (substitute goalkeeper at the time), Mateo Kovacić, Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić and the indestructible Luka Modrić are in the squad. Like Deschamps, Zlatko Dalić is also the same coach on the touchline.

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Italy - Germany

Italy v Germany is one of the football classics. Unforgotten from a German perspective are the match of the century in the 1970 World Cup semi-final (3:4 n.V.), the 1982 World Cup final defeat (1:3), the happy ending to the summer fairytale in the 2006 World Cup semi-final (0:2) and the 2012 exit in the European Championship semi-final. For years, the Azzurri were a fearful opponent for the DFB team. However, the once virtually invincible opponent's aura has now crumbled.

In 2016, the DFB squad defeated the Squadra Azzurra on penalties in the European Championship quarter-finals. In their last two encounters, the teams also met in the Nations League. The first game was a 1-1 draw, but the last encounter in the summer of 2022 was a clear 5-2 win for Germany.

Now they want to go one better at the San Siro on Thursday. The second leg will take place in Dortmund on Sunday. Coaches Julian Nagelsmann and Luciano Spalletti will be without several regular starters for the clash between the four-time world champions.

Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz are out for the Germans. Aleksandar Pavlović, Benjamin Henrichs and regular goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and Niclas Füllkrug are also missing. Jamal Musiala is expected to provide the offense. Returning player Leon Goretzka could return to the starting eleven on his comeback after 16 months. In goal, Oliver Baumann has won the battle for the number one spot, while Alexander Nübel currently has to settle for the role of backup goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, Spalletti will have to do without key players such as Federico Dimarco and Mateo Retegui - the Atalanta striker is the top scorer in Serie A with 22 goals in 27 games.

Nevertheless, with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni, Arsenal professional Riccardo Calafiori, Inter star Nicolò Barella, Newcastle strategist Sandro Tonali and Juve shooting star Andrea Cambiaso, there should be enough power on the pitch. Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori and Fiorentina's Moise Kean are likely to form the attacking duo, and there is also a Maldini in the squad, namely Daniel, the son of legend Paolo Maldini.

This week will show whether Italy have regained their composure almost nine months after the embarrassing European Championship round of 16 exit against Switzerland (0:2). "We're on the right track," says Spalletti. "Is the real Italy back? Germany will show it," wrote the "Gazzetta dello Sport".

Netherlands-Spain

Whether at the European Championships or in the Nations League, the opponents were no match for Spain. In 2024, only Serbia managed to snatch points from the European champions in an official match (1:1). The rest were left to congratulate themselves at the end of the game - including Switzerland, who lost 4:1 and 3:2 (to the B team). For 16 games and almost exactly one year, la Furia Roja have not lost a game. Their last defeat to date came in a test match against Colombia.

The Dutch side's record is somewhat more modest. Last year, the Elftal lost to Germany (once in a test match, once in the Nations League), Austria (European Championship group stage) and in the European Championship semi-final against England. After all, coach Ronald Koeman still knows some of the opposing players from his time at Barça (2020-21). Pedri, Gavi and Alejandro Balde made their debuts for the Catalans under him.

Denmark-Portugal

Denmark suffered two defeats against the Furia Roja in the Nations League. But because the Scandinavians picked up four points in each of their two games against Switzerland and Serbia, it was still enough to progress. At the European Championship, Germany reached the last 16. Otherwise, Denmark remained undefeated in 2024. Now, however, Portugal awaits in Copenhagen.

The Lusitanians are undefeated in the Nations League and lost to France on penalties in the quarter-finals of the European Championships. In Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Martinez's team also has a player in its ranks who has won almost everything in football. The striker recently turned 40, but the record goalscorer (135 goals in 216 international matches) is far from thinking about retiring. The attacker, who plays for Al-Nassr, has scored three times against Denmark so far. A tally that CR7 will certainly want to extend.

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