France vs Ukraine prediction, preview, team news and more | International Friendly 2020

France will host Ukraine at the Stade de France in an international friendly mid-week fixture before they resume their UEFA Nations League campaign against Portugal on Sunday.

The 2018 World Cup winners are unbeaten in their previous nine outings while Ukraine saw their 10-game unbeaten run come to a conclusion with a 4-0 away loss against Spain in their Nations League Group A fixture last month.

The French Football Federation have announced that 1,000 fans will be able to attend the friendly affair. Both teams have a couple of high stakes Nations League matches coming up in the next nine days and may want to rest some of their stars in this encounter.

---

France vs Ukraine Head-to-Head

France and Ukraine will be meeting for the 10th time on Wednesday. In their previous nine meetings, the last of which came in 2013, Les Bleus have won on five occasions while Ukraine could only get the better of their opponents once, and the remaining three games have ended in stalemates.

The Yellow and Blue are winless on their travels against the French national team and have only avoided defeat once, back in 1999.

France form guide: W-W-W-W-D

Ukraine form guide: L-W-D-W-W

---

France vs Ukraine Team News

Didier Deschamps had announced a 24-man squad for the three fixtures his side will take part in during the next nine days.

Paul Pogba returns to the fold, as he was left out of the squad back in September after testing positive for COVID-19. Though it is unlikely that he'll play a part in the game, as he played the full 90 minutes in Manchester United's 6-1 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend.

A debut for Lyon playmaker Houssem Aouar seems very likely as Deschamps is not likely to risk key players ahead of their Nations League fixtures.

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Ukraine head coach Andriy Shevchenko was handed a piece of bad news earlier today as Ukranian club Shakhtar Donetsk went into self-isolation following positive COVID-19 tests for two players, Andriy Pyatov and midfielder Taras Stepanenko.

The duo had been named in the squad to face France on Wednesday and after their positive tests, four more players from the club - Mykola Matviyenko, Viktor Kovalenko, Marlos and Junior Moraes - will miss the trip to Paris.

On top of the six players unavailable due to self-isolation, Ukraine will also be without six players due to injuries, including stars like Serhiy Kryvtsov, Yevhen Konoplyanka. Shevchenko will therefore have to field a new, slightly-inexperienced squad against the World Champions.

Injured: Oleksandr Zinchenko, Serhiy Kryvtsov, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Serhiy Bolbat, Vladyslav Supriaha, Vitaliy Buyalskyi

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Unavailable: (Due to self-isolation) Mykola Matviyenko, Viktor Kovalenko, Marlos, Junior Moraes, Andriy Pyatov, Taras Stepanenko

---

France vs Ukraine Predicted XI

France Predicted XI (3-4-3): Mike Maignan; Dayot Upamecano, Prisnel Kimpembe, Clement Lenglet; Léo Dubois, Lucas Digne, N'Golo Kante, Hassem Aouar; Kingsley Coman, Olivier Giroud, Anthony Martial

Ukraine Predicted XI (4-3-3): Andriy Lunin; Oleksandr Karavayev, Ihor Plastun, Yevhen Cheberko, Bohdan Mykhaylichenko; Serhiy Sydorchuk, Ihor Kharatin, Shaparenko; Yarmolenko, Yaremchuk, Tsyhankov

---

France vs Ukraine Prediction

It might just be a friendly game but it is a good opportunity for both managers to experiment with their squads and give youngsters a chance to shine in national colours.

Ukraine have been dealt a double blow, with six players out with injuries and COVID-19 respectively, and thus might struggle against a France side that is likely to feature a couple of debutants.

Final prediction: France 2-0 Ukraine