To be there or not to be there, that is the question. If tens of thousands of spectators responded in the negative, unlike the presidents of the Republic and the region, Didier Deschamps and his troops have no other choice but to face those of Israel. “We made sure to prepare for this match as normally as possible, but in the whole group, no one can be insensitive to the context which is heavy and heavy”summarized Didier Deschamps on Wednesday in a pre-match press conference, in perfect harmony with N'Golo Kanté a few minutes earlier: “We know that we represent the French team, not our personal opinions. We're going to give our all for the jersey. It pains me to see what's happening there, and I hope it gets better. »
The boycott is no longer (was it ever?) relevant, athletes will therefore have to come to terms with their sporting objectives in the middle of an ongoing conflict on another continent, but with international repercussions. At 8:45 p.m. sharp, you will have to adjust your shorts, sing The Marseillaiseshake hands and play. Like a month ago in Budapest against the same opponent, that said. Except that at home and a week after the serious incidents that occurred in Amsterdam, the decorum is a bit destabilizing. In addition to the empty seats, it is an exceptional security device – already clearly visible on the eve of the match, on November 13, “a sad date also for us with what happened in 2015”says Deschamps – who will supervise the return of the Blues of football to their garden at the Stade de France, 16 months and 26 days after their last performance. SO “We will have to adapt”as Deschamps says, already tired.
Less Mbappé, more Kanté
But since they do not have the means to stop a war, these Blues without helmets nevertheless have two missions to carry out this month of November. One: validate their presence in the quarter-finals of the Nations League with a victory, and travel to Milan next Sunday with peace of mind. Two: refocus discussions on the ground. Because it's their job. Because it is also this game that this French team has missed too much in a year 2024 which will only have made the hearts of the supporters even more upset. The fault in particular is a Euro played with the handbrake, the departures of familiar faces Griezmann and Giroud, and the turn that history has taken between Kylian Mbappé and his national team.
What matters are the players who are there.
While waiting for the captain to return under better auspices, it is the oldest and one of the last two world champions on this list who will take the armband. N'Golo Kanté, 33 years old and all his teeth, knows that he is not the most talkative, but has only one desire: “savour”. Enjoy a return to the selection, he who had missed the last jump due to injury. Savor the fact of playing international matches which, even if they multiply like hotcakes, must remain a sporting accomplishment. Also enjoy the chance to lead a new generation of players in search of landmarks and tricks. Asked about the absence of the Madrilenian, the Al-Ittihad midfielder swept away: “What matters are the players who are there. »
Challenges at every level
Each of these 23, by their simple presence in this changing French team, has a card to play. A central hinge must be fixed; Lucas Chevalier has a place to make in the goalkeeper pool; October rookies Michael Olise and Manu Koné will have to confirm; Jules Koundé can definitively validate his title of best tricolor of the year; the usual understudies like Jonathan Clauss, Lucas Digne, Mattéo Guendouzi will certainly be able to express themselves; Adrien Rabiot and Kingsley Coman have a new veteran status to assume; Bradley Barcola, Christopher Nkunku and Marcus Thuram will have to take their responsibilities in the absence of the holders Dembélé and Mbappé. In short, there is no shortage of issues. And then? And then Kolo Muani. Top scorer for the Blues during the calendar year with 6 goals in 14 matches, the Parisian has only had 45 minutes of play since the last meeting. Like Giroud at Chelsea, the striker retains the confidence of his coach who, if he knows that « cit is not ideal »refuses to get involved in what is happening at PSG. But for how much longer? Didier Deschamps knows it: there are areas of turbulence that we cannot avoid forever.
Why Kanté absolutely must be the captain of the Blues
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