Preview: France Under-21s vs. Italy Under-21s - prediction, team news, lineups

France Under-21s and Italy Under-21s begin their quest to win the European Championship with a highly-anticipated showdown at the Cluj Arena on Thursday.

With both nations suffering surprise quarter-final exits in the 2021 edition, there is a determination to enjoy an improved campaign this time around.

Match preview

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For all of the talent that regularly comes through the French footballing production line, it is bizarre that this nation have not won the Under-21 Euros since 1988 and recently failed to qualify for six tournaments in succession.

Since 2019, though, Les Bleuets have recorded semi-final and quarter-final finishes, and they will expect to improve on that in Romania and Georgia.

France came through their qualifying campaign with eight wins and two draws from 10 matches, only conceding five times while scoring an impressive 31 strikes.

Sylvain Ripoll can be encouraged by that return, yet France have not recorded a notable victory at this level since edging out Germany back in September.

Although they held Spain to a goalless draw in March, that performance followed a 4-0 reverse in England, highlighting that there may be vulnerability within this group.

As far as Italy are concerned, they join France in not winning this competition in recent memory, the last time occurring in 2004, but they have featured in the most recent five editions.

While they were runners-up in 2013, Gli Azzurrini have combined two group-stage exits with a quarter-final and semi-final appearance, and Paolo Nicolato is tasked with restoring their former glories over the coming weeks.

After coming through qualifying with seven wins and three draws, Italy can be contenders, particularly on the back of just reaching the Under-20 World Cup final.

Italy had put together a three-match winless streak before they prevailed against Serbia and Ukraine in the friendly internationals which took place in March.