Austria vs France predictions: Les Bleus can make winning start
- France have won five of their last eight games
- Austria have scored in 17 consecutive fixtures
- Recommended bet: France to win and both teams to score
France are heavily fancied going into Euro 2024 but they have been handed a tough group stage draw and will face a stern test against Austria on Monday.
Austria breezed through qualifying and head coach Ralf Rangnick has managed to turn Das Team into an effective unit since taking charge in 2022.
Team news
Austria come into the tournament without talisman David Alaba, who has been ruled out due to injury.
Rangnick still has plenty of quality within his squad, however, and Borussia Dortmund’s Marcel Sabitzer should return to the starting XI after sitting out the warm-up draw with Switzerland.
Kylian Mbappe came off the bench for Les Bleus in their 0-0 draw with Canada but he will start ahead of Olivier Giroud in attack.
Boss Didier Deschamps has a tough choice to make in central defence, with Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba battling for two starting spots.
The stats
France have won all five of their tournament openers since Deschamps took charge.
Les Bleus picked up 22 points from a possible 24 in qualifying.
Both teams have scored in Austria’s last three games.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in seven of France’s last nine games.
Prediction
France head to Germany looking to go one better after losing out in the World Cup final in Qatar and they can get off to a winning start against Austria.
Les Bleus won 2-0 in Paris when these sides last met in the Nations League in 2022 and they enter this tournament with arguably the strongest squad on paper.
Deschamps is overseeing his sixth major tournament and he has a perfect record in opening games with five wins. His side should have the quality to make a winning start to their Euro 2024 bid.
However, Austria should not be underestimated and they head into this game in fine form as they are unbeaten in seven – winning six of those.
Das Team may have drawn a blank in Paris two years ago but that game was in the early stages of Rangnick’s tenure and they have scored in all 17 of their fixtures since.
France have managed just three clean sheets in their last nine games and those have come against Canada, Luxembourg and minnows Gibraltar.
Austria are a level above the aforementioned trio and can keep this game competitive by getting on the scoresheet, but France should still be expected to come out on top.
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