France vs Poland Betting Tips: Les Bleus look too good for Poles

Jack Ogalbie

Dec 3

Holders France chose to rotate for Wednesday's 1-0 defeat to Tunisia but Didier Deschamps is unlikely to take any such chances when they face Poland in the last 16 at 15:00 on Sunday.

Wins over Australia and Denmark meant Les Bleus had already qualified from Group D and the boss chose to provide his fringe starts with the opportunity to prove their case for a spot in the regular starting line-up.

Few, if any, impressed against the Eagles of Carthage and the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann are sure to return from the start on Sunday against the Poles, who were perhaps fortunate to qualify from Group C.

A 0-0 draw against Mexico and a 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia were enough for Bialo-czerwoni to make the knockout rounds for the first time since 1986, despite their tepid closing 2-0 defeat to Argentina.

Their stars are at either end of the pitch, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny having saved two penalties in this tournament, while captain Robert Lewandowski is arguably the greatest number nine on the planet.

However, France's quality across the park suggests Les Bleus should have too much in Doha.

France vs Poland Betting Tips

France to win to nil @ 10/11
Olivier Giroud anytime goalscorer @ 5/4

Team news

Alphonse Areola's return from a back injury means Deschamps should have a fully fit squad to pick from.

Mbappe and Griezmann are expected to be named in the starting side alongside Olivier Groud and Ousmane Dembele, while Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot should dominate the midfield.

Poland boss Czeslaw Michniewicz has no fewer than six players walking a tightrope having already picked up a yellow card but that is unlikely to enter his thinking as he eyes a quarter-final place.

Karol Swiderski is again likely to be selected to support Lewandowski, with Arkadiusz Milik and Krzysztof Piatek ready to try and make an impact from the bench.

France to win to nil @ 10/11

Poland may have Lewandowski, but the Barcelona man's issue throughout his international career has been a lack of service.

The forward netted against Saudi Arabia but has otherwise cut a frustrated figure and, whisper it, has even started to look his 34 years.

Despite not keeping a clean sheet during group stages, Deschamps will expect his side to improve on that front now the tournament in Qatar is into its business end.

A first clean sheet of the tournament beckons for his team, with Poland more functional than fabulous.

Latest France vs Poland Betfred Odds

Olivier Giroud anytime goalscorer @ 5/4

Olivier Giroud scored twice in his team's opening 4-1 win over Australia.

They were both his first-ever World Cup goals and saw him draw level with Thierry Henry as his country's record goalscorer, reaching 51 goals, despite having seven fewer caps than the former captain.

Despite his record, the 36-year-old still has plenty of doubters throughout the game but often proves them wrong and Sunday could be the same.

While other strikers are more-fancied, including Mbappe, who is 5/2 to open the scoring, Giroud's ability to both give his side shape and grab crucial goals makes him one to watch.

World Cup Betting Odds

*All prices correct at the time of writing.