Marcel Desailly is set to win his 100th cap for the European champions when France play Slovenia (live on Eurosport, kick-off 7.45 p.m.) at the Stade de France for the first time since they lost there to Belgium in May.
Coach Jacques Santini can rely on a squad almost at full strength as goalkeeper Fabien Barthez is back after missing France's last two outings because of an injury.
Veteran defender Lilian Thuram and Desailly are certain to start along with Manchester United's Mikael Silvestre on the left side.
Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni looks set to field a formation based on the current all-conquering AC Milan side for the visit of Yugoslavia.
Trapattoni has been vacillating between formations all week, but has settled on a model that includes an all-Milan midfield of Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini in the hope that they reproduce their attacking club style at national level.
Inspired by the new coach Italian Giuseppe Dossena, the team's firstforeign coach, Albania hope to beat Switzerland in Group 10 today, although Dossena has a more realistic appraisal of the game.
"We will play some good football, but that doesn't mean I am sure we will win," he said.
Also in Ireland's group, Georgia have dropped captain Georgi Nemsadze, who plays for Scottish Premier League side Dundee, and Derby County winger Georgi Kinkladze for the visit of Russia.
Veteran midfielder Gocha Jamarauli is also a doubtful starter following the sudden death of his father last week.
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