France will look to continue their dominant World Cup qualifying campaign as they travel to Baku to face struggling Azerbaijan on Sunday.
Azerbaijan vs France – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 16th November.
- Kick-off: 5pm BST.
- Venue: Tofiq Behramov Adina Respublika Stadionu, Baku.
Azerbaijan team news
Following the dismissal of Arnar Gunnlaugsson in September after a 5-0 defeat to Iceland, caretaker manager Aykhan Abbasov has overseen a slight improvement in fortunes. Since taking charge, Abbasov guided the side to a respectable 1-1 draw against Ukraine, suggesting some defensive stability can be established. The Azerbaijan Football Federation has confirmed Abbasov will continue in the role beyond 2026, offering consistency as the team prepares for their final qualifier.
Midfielder Emin Makhmudov remains Azerbaijan’s focal point in midfield and will be crucial to any chance of a positive result. The 33-year-old Neftçi FK player is Azerbaijan’s all-time top goalscorer with fifteen goals to his name and recently converted a penalty against Ukraine, demonstrating his importance to the team’s attacking phases.
Defensively, the team is expected to line up with a back three consisting of Elvin Badalov, Bahlul Mustafazade and Anton Krivotsyuk, who will face an enormous task containing France’s world-class attackers.
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France team news
French camp suffered injury concerns with captain Kylian Mbappé being ruled out of Sunday’s fixture due to an ankle inflammation that requires further examination in Madrid.
Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has also been withdrawn from the squad with a muscle strain in his left hamstring, whilst Roma’s Kouadio Kone is suspended following a yellow card accumulation against Ukraine. Despite these absences, Les Bleus possess significant attacking depth to trouble the Azerbaijan defence.
Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike has been impressive in his early France career, scoring his maiden senior international goal in the 4-0 demolition of Ukraine and is expected to lead the line on Sunday. The talented 22-year-old demonstrated his clinical finishing with a driving run and smart finish late in that encounter.
France have recalled experienced defensive midfielder N’Golo Kanté to the squad at 34 years old after the former Chelsea star has impressed at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, where he plays regularly. Didier Deschamps believes Kanté’s experience and defensive stability will provide crucial balance in the midfield, particularly with Kylian Mbappé unavailable. Kanté has not represented France for a year, making his recall a significant boost for the side’s stability at the base of the midfield.
Form
Azerbaijan
Aykhan Abbasov’s side extended their winless run to an agonising fourteen matches across all competitions, with their most recent success arriving as far back as June 2024 when they defeated Kazakhstan 3-2 at Haladas Stadion in Hungary.
France
Didier Deschamps’ side won an emphatic 4-0 victory over Ukraine, confirming their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the process. Before that commanding performance, France drew 2-2 with Iceland before securing consecutive victories over Azerbaijan (3-0 in October), Iceland (2-1) and Ukraine (2-0 away).
Predicted lineups
Azerbaijan: Bayramov; Badalov, Mustafazade, Krivotsyuk; Huseynov, Makhmudov, Khaybulaev, Abbasov; Akhmedzade, Aliyev, Akhundzade
France: Chevalier; Gusto, Konate, Saliba, L Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Kante; Nkunku, Cherki, Barcola; Ekitike
How to watch Azerbaijan vs France?
You can watch the match live via online streaming on Amazon Prime Video through their pay-per-view format.
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