PIRAEUS (Greece) - After coming out on the wrong side of heartbreaking losses in Friday's gripping Semi-Final matchups, France and Italy will look to ease their pain by clinching a FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 bronze medal.
If France come out on top, they would match their third-place finish at the last edition. Meanwhile, if Italy are the ones to end on a winning note, they would collect a first medal since way back in 1995 when they took silver.
There are several ways for you to watch FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2025 on your TV through local broadcast partners. However, not all broadcasters will show every game from the tournament. We recommend checking the specific game pages to see which broadcasters in your country will be airing the games.
France vs Italy - 16.30 CET
France will play for the bronze medal for the third time in their history and will look to make it a hat-trick, having won in 2011 against Czechia and at the last edition against Hungary. It would also extend the podium streak of France to a stunning 9 tournaments if successful. They will turn to their ever-impressive leader Valeriane Ayayi to get them through this last day challenge.
This will be Italy’s second time playing for bronze, having previously been defeated in agonizing fashion by Slovakia 68-67 back in 1993. They are chasing their third medal after also winning the inaugural title in 1938 and also finishing runners-up 30 years ago. Lorela Cubaj and Cecilia Zandalasini should provide the main thrust and will be top of the French scouting report.
Game history: In their six major competition meetings, Italy have only ever managed to beat France once and that was 46 years ago when they won 72-54 at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in 1979. Since then, it's been France all the way, with the last a 76-61 victory in the first phase of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2009.
Star player: If Italy are going to claim bronze, then a big performance from Cecilia Zandalasini is surely the most likely source of success. With a modest 11 points against Belgium in the Semi-Finals, will the sharp-shooter finish with a much-needed big show - the kind of which she came up with earlier in the tournament?
Key matchup: Janelle Salaun started this tournament barely missing a shot and inevitably slowed a little. If she can resurrect that early form, then it will be pivotal to France taking victory. But her teammate from Schio last season Jasmine Keys could be the one tasked with stopping her and that's going to be a fun matchup to follow.
X-factor: Italy really do need to be mindful of the appetite France has for second chance points at more than 17 per game - meaning they will have to push them away from that offensive glass. Additionally, France also punish turnovers really well with 24 points per outing compared to just 15 for Italy.
Did you know?
Italy (9.6) and France (11.4) have made fewer turnovers per game than anybody else in the competition and are also the teams with the best assists per turnover ratio this year (France 2.2 and Italy 1.9).
Valeriane Ayayi of France will play in her 6th medal game in the competition and only three players have made more appearances in those games (Laia Palau 8, Sandrine Gruda and Endy Miyem 7 each).
Jasmine Keys of Italy has made 12 steals in the competition - more than any other player.
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