Victorious over Belgium (1-0) at Euro 2024, the Blues will challenge Portugal in the quarter-finals on Friday (9 p.m.). Deprived of Adrien Rabiot for this clash, Didier Deschamps could be tempted to put Antoine Griezmann back in the French midfield but could also consider leaving him on the right wing. Another uncertainty is the name of the one who will occupy the tip of the attack of the French team.
With only one goal conceded – on a penalty – in four matches, the French team has the best defense of Euro 2024 played in Germany before its quarter-final against Portugal, Friday (9 p.m.) in Hamburg. If the French coach will be forced to change his starting eleven against Portugal because of the suspension of Adrien Rabiot, nothing is decided for the midfield of the Blues.
Fofana applies to replace Rabiot
Three days before the duel against Cristiano Ronaldo and his team, Didier Deschamps took advantage of the training session open to the press on Tuesday to share a long discussion with Youssouf Fofana. A clue about a possible starting role for the Monaco midfielder against the Portuguese? Watch this space.
Eduardo Camavinga is also a candidate if the coach decides to replace Rabiot with a position-for-position player. In a match where the French staff will also have to pay attention to the warnings received by Ousmane Dembélé, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni in view of a possible semi-final, Didier Deschamps will make strong choices to win the midfield battle.
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What position for Antoine Griezmann?
The 4-3-3 formation seems to be the preferred option after the victory against Belgium (1-0) in the round of 16. The French team could therefore be tempted to continue with this system. One of the hypotheses is to put Antoine Griezmann back at the heart of the game, a role in which he excelled at the 2022 World Cup, associated with Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot. Obviously, Griezmann would have a little more freedom, especially offensively, this time with Tchouaméni and N’Golo Kanté.
Aligned in the axis against Austria and the Netherlands, Griezmann then left the starting eleven against Poland during the group stage. Back among the starters during the round of 16 against Belgium (1-0), the vice-captain of the Blues then switched to the right wing in place of Ousmane Dembélé. All without convincing despite a certain freedom in the offensive phases.
Kolo Muani in competition with Thuram at the forefront
Ousmane Dembélé, precisely, could make his return to the French eleven due to the suspension of Adrien Rabiot. If Antoine Griezmann falls back among the three in the middle, the PSG winger would find his place on the right wing of the French attack. On the left, unsurprisingly and barring a physical problem, Kylian Mbappé will hold his place. And in the axis? We’ll see.
In reality, the Blues’ staff will have to answer two questions before this quarter-final against Portugal. In addition to Griezmann’s positioning, the other uncertainty concerns the presence or absence of Marcus Thuram in the starting eleven. Lined up from the start during three of the Blues’ matches during this Euro, the Inter Milan striker has not given full satisfaction. Neither on the left wing nor in the axis.
The other element to take into account is that Randal Kolo Muani often performs well with the French team and showed it again against Belgium when he came on the pitch. Didier Deschamps will have to decide.
Will the coach do without Thuram to put Kolo Muani, who has often had an impact on major tournaments and notably in the semi-final and final of the 2022 World Cup, or on Monday against the Red Devils? Answer in the coming days.
The French Team cell
