France vs Azerbaijan Predictions

• France have won four of their last five games, keeping clean sheets in three
• France beat Kazakhstan 8-0 in Paris three years ago and won the previous clash with the Azeris 10-0
• Azerbaijan lost 5-0 to Iceland in their last match and 6-0 to Sweden late last year

Heavy defeat on the cards in Paris

France should overwhelm Azerbaijan when the two nations meet for only the third time on Friday for a World Cup qualifier in Paris. Didier Deschamps’ side have far too much quality and depth for a team that have never really been able to live with the big boys at international level.

The Azeris will arrive in the French capital under a caretaker boss after Fernando Santos was effectively sacked following his side’s 5-0 humiliation in Iceland last month. The former European Championship winner with Portugal had overseen a woeful run of two draws and nine defeats, including another heavy one to Sweden late last year.

It is unlikely that former Under-21 boss Aykhan Abbasov can do much with a squad low on confidence and quality in the limited time he has had since taking caretaker charge. Iceland bookended that win with a couple of set-piece goals, which is their traditional strength, but the way they carved through the Azeri side for the other three goals suggests France’s flamboyant stars will have a field day.

Azeris will attempt to stop France from running amok

Les Bleus are not quite at full strength with Marcus Thuram and Bradley Barcola, two starters in their 2-1 win over Iceland, unavailable and Aurélien Tchouaméni suspended after getting sent off in that game.

But in-form duo Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise are likely to be joined by Hugo Ekitike and Kingsley Coman while this clash looks like an ideal chance for Deschamps to give Monaco starlet Maghnes Akliouche another cap.

France thrashed Azerbaijan 10-0 when they last met in 1995 and a scoreline approaching something like that could be possible if they get their noses in front early. The visitors are likely to set up in a 5-4-1 formation, which enabled them to earn a 1-1 draw with Ukraine last time out, but that may only stem the tide enough to prevent France from running amok.