From Italy vs. France in Milan to France vs. Italy in Laval. On Thursday 12 November, the senior national team will face France in their fifth Nations League match. The following day, Friday 13 November, it will be the turn of Silvio Baldini’s Under-21 side, who will take to the pitch in Laval at 18:30 CET for a friendly against the hosts, Les Bleus. It will be the 23rd meeting between Italy and France at Under-21 level, and the first ever to be played in Laval, a French town with 50,000 inhabitants and the capital of the Mayenne department in the Pays de la Loire region. The head-to-head record could hardly be closer: Italy have won eight times, France have claimed eight victories and six matches have ended in draws.

THE U21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP. Italy, who share the record of five Under-21 European Championship titles with Spain, qualified by winning Group E, securing their place on the final matchday with a victory over Poland in Pescara. It will be the Azzurrini’s 14th appearance in 15 editions since the introduction of the group stage in 2000. France, who won their only U21 European Championship in 1998, have also secured their place at Albania and Serbia 2027. Les Bleuets finished top of Group C with 26 points, eight clear of runners-up Iceland. Alongside the Azzurrini, France and hosts Albania and Serbia, all the major nations in European football have qualified for the Under-21 European Championship, including defending two-time champions England, Spain, Portugal and Germany. Belgium, Croatia, Norway and Poland have also qualified, while the final four places will be decided in November’s play-offs: Denmark vs. The Netherlands, Iceland vs. Greece, Finland vs. The Republic of Ireland and Türkiye vs. Czechia. The final tournament draw will take place at the Sava Congress Center in Belgrade on Thursday 26 November at 18:30 CET.