France vs. Israel | UEFA Nations League | Pre Match

France will be looking to boost their hopes of finishing top of League A Group 2 in the UEFA Nations League when they play host to Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday evening.

Les Bleus secured a 4-1 away victory in the reverse fixture held in Budapest last month, courtesy of goals from Eduardo Camavinga, Christopher Nkunku, Matteo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola.

Since losing 3-1 at home to Italy in their opening Nations League match, France have picked up a maximum nine points from their last three group games, with their aforementioned victory over Israel sandwiched between two wins against Belgium.

Randal Kolo Muani was on target in Les Bleus's 2-0 home win over Belgium in September and then scored twice against the Red Devils in a 2-1 away victory last month, with Didier Deschamps's men clinging on for three precious points despite playing the final 14 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men.

Ranked second in the world by FIFA, 2021 Nations League champions France currently sit second in League A Group 2 and are just one point behind leaders Italy, who they will face in their potentially-pivotal final fixture in Milan on Sunday.

France will secure their spot in the Nations League quarter-finals if they avoid defeat against Israel on Thursday and Belgium fail to come out on top in their penultimate group fixture with Italy. However, if Belgium beat Italy and France fail to win, then the latter will remain at risk of entering the relegation playoffs.

The home side head into Thursday's contest with Israel having not lost any of their previous seven meetings with the Sky-Blue and Whites in all competitions. They have only celebrated victory in two of their four home encounters, though, and most recently played out a goalless stalemate at the Stade de France in a World Cup qualifier back in September 2004.

Following the horrific scenes of violence that broke out in Amsterdam last week between Ajax and Maccabi Tel-Aviv supporters, against a backdrop of high tension caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, there were some concerns that Israel's fixture with France would not go ahead.

The National Security Council has advised Israelis to avoid cultural and sporting events in European countries, including France, while they should also be "extra careful about concealing" anything that could identify them as Jewish. Despite this, Thursday's game is scheduled to take place in Paris, with thousands of extra police to be on duty, while French president Emmanuel Macron will be in attendance at the Stade de France in a gesture of "fraternity and solidarity".

Amidst the country's off-field concerns, Israel have endured a difficult Nations League campaign, as expected against Italy, France and Belgium, and have suffered four defeats from four matches, leaving them rooted to the foot of League A Group 2.

The Sky-Blue and Whites will be relegated to League B if they suffer defeat to France on Thursday, or if Belgium beat Italy, while their only hope of survival is if they win their remaining two matches, including one against Belgium on Sunday, and somehow prevail in the relegation playoff.

Ranked 81st in the world by FIFA, Ran Ben Shimon's side have been used to playing away from their homeland for some time, and as they travel to Paris on Thursday, they are sure to reminisce about their only previous triumph in France - a 3-2 victory in World Cup qualifying back in October 1993, with Deschamps playing in France's midfield that day.