Italy lost first position in their Nations League group and showed they have a serious problem with set plays after losing 3-1 to France at San Siro (due to a brace from Adrien Rabiot). Even though both teams had already gone to the quarterfinals, the Azzurri would have topped their group and earned the first seed in the draw with a single point. Because they have the same amount of goals and a greater overall goal difference, France is tied on points in the head-to-head game even if they lose by just one goal.

Gianluigi Donnarumma missed Thursday’s 1-0 triumph in Belgium due to a stomach ailment, Riccardo Calafiori and Lorenzo Pellegrini were hurt, and the only change made to the outfield was the substitution of Manuel Locatelli for Nicolò Rovella. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembele, Aurelien Tchaouameni, Wesley Fofana, and Eduardo Camavinga were all benched for Les Bleus. Additionally, Theo Hernandez may only play as a substitute.It only took 119 seconds for former Juventus player Rabiot to head in a corner from Lucas Digne and end the tie, despite Federico Dimarco’s best attempt to clear the ball off the goal line. Italy overcame a goal deficit to upset France 3-1 in a replay of the September meeting in Paris. Barella attempted to test Mike Maignan from just beyond the penalty area, but Digne’s free kick went over the wall, bounced against the underside of the crossbar, and in off Vicario’s back to give Les Bleus the lead for sure. Federico Dimarco and Sandro Tonali swapped passes down the left, and a few minutes later, Andrea Cambiaso scored off a cross from the by-line to give Italy the lead again. Cambiaso volleyed the ball in from nine yards out using the inside of his left boot.

Marcus Thuram robbed Cambiaso within his own penalty area, but Giovanni Di Lorenzo charged down the attempt, and Vicario made a diving save from Christopher Nkunku’s long-range attempt. Dimarco and Manuel Locatelli both had strong chances from the box’s edge, but their half-volleys missed. Instead, Digne floated a free kick into the penalty area, and France scored again from a set piece. Rabiot headed the ball over Vicario, who was caught off his line by the goalie, with far more force than Locatelli. It was the sixth straight set-play goal that Italy had been denied. Soon after, Moise Kean, who had been protecting William Saliba, failed to collect a rolled-over ball from Dimarco, and Cambiaso missed the mark with a screamer from outside the box. Rovella took a long, direct shot at Maignan in the dying seconds, while Saliba stopped Alessandro Bastoni’s attempt in stoppage time. Maignan made his lone noteworthy stoppage-time save, parrying Kean’s ten-yard attempt at the near post to maintain the two-goal lead.