« If Gaël has always been a starter, it’s because he deserved it, recalls the French coach. It wasn’t a gift. And if he’s still with us, it’s because he still deserves it. Being on the substitutes’ bench for the France team is not a downgrade. (…) I also want to say all the admiration I have for Gaël, on the way in which he maintains, after 90 selections, his level of performance in the French Championship and at international level. » At Racing, with whom he has played 8 matches as a starter since this summer, but also with the Blues, his performances are less unanimous than before.