Reigning world champion France heads to Vienna on Friday to take on Austria, and it is still seeking its first victory in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League. Les Bleus took one point from their first two matches, opening with a 2-1 loss to Denmark on Friday before rebounding slightly with a 1-1 draw with a strong Croatian team on Monday. The defending Nations League champs have been resting players and have dealt with a couple of key injuries, but they need to start building confidence for the World Cup in November. The Austrians got off to a flying start in their opener last Friday, crushing Croatia 3-0, but Denmark dampened the enthusiasm by beating them 2-1 on Monday. Austria won't play in the World Cup, so it should be all in for this tournament, and it will be looking for a signature victory.
Kickoff is set for 2:45 p.m. ET at Ernst Happel Stadium. France is the -140 favorite (risk $140 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line in the latest Austria vs. France odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Austria is the +370 underdog, a draw is priced at +280 and the over-under for total goals scored is set at 2.5. Before making any France vs. Austria picks or any UEFA Nations League predictions, you have to see what proven soccer insider Martin Green has to say.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been stunningly accurate. Green has generated more than $37,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.
Now, Green has broken down the Austria vs. France matchup from every angle and just locked in his coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for France vs. Austria:
- Austria vs. France spread: France -0.5
- Austria vs. France Over/Under: 2.5 goals
- Austria vs. France money line: Austria +370, France -140, Draw +280
- Austria: It has scored 15 goals in its past seven matches
- France: It has scored at least once in 22 straight games
Why you should back France
If Les Bleus put the effort in and go with something approaching their best lineup, they should have little trouble with the Austrians. They rank 31 spots higher in the FIFA world rankings and are one of the world's football powers. The team's top three scorers were on the bench for Monday's match with Croatia, and what was largely the "B" team still managed a draw. Kylian Mbappe, who has 26 goals in just 55 matches for France, banged up his knee in the opener against Denmark. The injury wasn't deemed serious, but he could be rested again Friday.
But fellow star attacker Karim Benzema and longtime catalyst Antonie Griezmann should be back after sitting out Monday. Benzema led the Spanish La Liga with 27 goals with Real Madrid this season, and Griezmann third on France's all-time scoring list with 42 in 106 games. Benzema is fifth with 37 in 95 matches. No. 1 goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also sat out Monday, and he can keep the team in any match no matter who is on the field. The Tottenham starter had 16 clean sheets in the Premier League this season and has 50 in 117 career international matches.
Why you should back Austria
After the team's failure in March to qualify for the World Cup, Ralf Ragnick was brought in to manage the team. The German veteran spent most of the last Premier League season as the caretaker manager for Manchester United. He has built a squad that is organized and can sit back and defend before springing effective counter-attacks. Marko Arnautovic, Michael Gregoritsch and Marcel Sabitzer all scored in the opening win against Croatia. Arnautovic leads the team in international goals with 33, while Sabitzer has 12 in 62 matches with the squad.
All three of the goal-scorers sat out Monday to rest after long club seasons. Arnautovic had 14 goals for Bologna in Italy's Serie A, while Sabitzer played a part-time role with Bayern Munich. Gregoritsch has seven goals in 37 games for Austria and had nine goals in 25 games (15 starts) with Augsburg in the Bundesliga. David Alaba is one of the most versatile players in world football, and the Real Madrid defender's crosses are a big part of Austria's attack. He has scored 14 goals and 14 assists in his 93 appearances with the Austrian national team.
How to make UEFA Nations League and Austria vs. France picks
Green has scrutinized the France vs. Austria match from every angle, and he is leaning over on the goal total. He also provides three confident best bets, including two offering plus-money payouts, and has a full breakdown of the match. He's only sharing his Nations League picks at SportsLine.
So, who wins Austria vs. France in their UEFA Nations League matchup Friday? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the France vs. Austria match, all from the European soccer expert who has generated more than $37,000 for $100 bettors over the past four seasons, and find out.
