Nations League: Zidane suffers his first defeat as manager of Les Bleus

Zinedine Zidane suffered his first defeat since taking over as manager of the French national team. Facing Italy this Thursday at the San Siro, in the fifth round of the Nations League, Les Bleus were beaten 3-1, despite a strong start to the match. A disastrous second half proved costly for the French.

France had shown great promise from the opening minutes. With intense pressing and superior technical skill, Zidane's men quickly took control of the game. After several dangerous situations, notably through Doué and Rabiot, Les Bleus were rewarded in the 10th minute. Capitalizing on a risky clearance from Donnarumma, Olise found the back of the net to give his team the lead (0-1).

Dominant throughout, the French had several opportunities to extend their lead, but Da Cunha and Barcola failed to capitalize. Italy, who had been relatively ineffective until then, finally found the resources to get back into the game. In the 26th minute, Cambiaghi outmaneuvered Gusto before setting up Pio Esposito, who finished at the near post (1-1). This goal revitalized the Azzurri, who began to show more attacking intent. Maignan, in particular, was called into action against Sebastiano Esposito. Meanwhile, Barcola hit the post just before halftime.

After returning from the locker room, Les Bleus continued their momentum. Cherki even came close to restoring his team's lead, but his shot struck the post after a save by Donnarumma. However, the match quickly slipped away from the French. Gusto, once again troubled by Cambiaghi, conceded a penalty. Sebastiano Esposito, however, missed the opportunity to put Italy ahead, sending his attempt wide.

This miss ultimately only delayed the inevitable. Having come on as a substitute a few moments earlier, Dimarco delivered a cross which Frattesi headed home, giving the Italians the lead in the 63rd minute (2-1).

Struggling and increasingly disorganized, France then completely lost their footing. A poor clearance from Truffert allowed Italy to launch another attack. Upamecano then fouled Vergara in the box, giving the home side another penalty. This time, Pio Esposito made no mistake and scored his second to make it 3-1 (75th minute).

Despite the changes made by Zinedine Zidane to try and revive his team, Les Bleus were never able to turn the tide. Dominated in the second half, France left San Siro with a deserved defeat, given their performance at the end of the match. A first setback for Zidane since taking over.