Inducted midfielder of the Blues for his first World Cup in the absence of Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kanté, Adrien Rabiot (27) says he is ready to assume this new status.
At a press conference this Thursday noon, the Juventus player appeared calm and determined to succeed in his competition, no matter where the coach tells him to play.
You look like an elder in view of the absentees, does that put more pressure on you?
ADRIEN RABIOT.
No, there is no particular pressure.
It's still my first World Cup, so it's more at that level, but not that I'm more experienced or that more is expected of me.
(...) I have a different personality on the field than outside, I'm there to help my teammates, it's natural for me, I want to win.
Do you like having an important status as was already the case as a youngster when you played for PSG?
It's true that as a youngster I was often more experienced than my partners.
Today, we find a little of that.
It's something that I like, I feel able to help others, to set an example.
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You describe yourself as a balance player, have you discussed with the coach the role you will have on the pitch?
I defined myself as a balance player because I think that's what suits me the most, the coach thought that was the right word.
Regarding the role that I will have to occupy, we have not yet discussed it with the coach.
I think we will talk about it in the next few days.
(...) I had to play in several positions in the France team.
I have often been criticized for not wanting to do it in the past... I feel good, the important thing is to be able to respond present.
I prefer to play where I am the best, where I can give all my abilities to help the group.
The coach will decide, he is aware of what I am capable of doing and I think he will make the best decision.
(...) One of my best games was not in the heart of the game but it is the role where I feel the best, where I play at Juventus,
Is starting in Blue a turning point in your career?
Does this excite you?
It already excites me to be there, most likely a starter, it's a lot of responsibility in a competition like this, but I was ready to take it on.
I am a competitor, I prefer to be in this position than the one I was in four years ago.
Many players would like to be there.
I don't necessarily see this as a turning point but it can help me... Contractually at Juve, I'm in my last year, it can help me for the future.
How would you react if you played Blaise Matuidi 2018?
With Blaise we have different qualities, but if I had to evolve in a similar role of course I would.
Afterwards, the coach's reflection will be whether it's the best thing for the team...
“The potential to do much better than at the Euro”
What lessons did you draw from the last Euro?
That we have to stay united, make sure that as few things as possible come to interfere with the group around, so that we stay in a serene climate, and also correct what was wrong.
I think we have the potential to do much better than what we did at the Euros.
(...) It won't be an easy task but we have the opportunity to do something historic, to make history, it's an exciting challenge.
Compared to the Euro, can the calm of your facilities in Qatar help you?
It's true that we are in a certain comfort, we have the possibility of really being in our bubble.
The Euro was post-Covid, there were a lot of rules to follow on a daily basis.
There, we are in comfort, all together, it's better to meet and ignore what's around.
Even for the temperature, it is very hot, we will be able to optimize all that.
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Did you talk about this World Cup with Paul Pogba who shares the same dressing room as you at Juventus?
We see each other every day, we talked a lot about the competition.
He didn't necessarily give me advice, but he gave me all his encouragement, he told me that he would follow us and asked me, as I do at Juve, to shoot up this team and its midfield in particular.
Is there a kind of revenge to be there, in Qatar, after missing the World Cup in 2018?
It was a big disappointment... I worked a lot to be there, at the 2022 World Cup. I don't take it as revenge, no, but I'm grateful for everything that has happened since my back to blue.
I take this as luck.
“Benzema and Varane?
They are on the right track”
How are Karim Benzema and Raphaël Varane?
They are doing very well, they train separately because there is a protocol to follow.
What I can say is that they are doing well, that they really want to play.
Will they be available for the first game?
I don't know, but they have good feelings and they are on the right track.
Can we fear a lack of rhythm for Benzema?
It's clear that it's better when you have the opportunity to play and have rhythm, but Karim is a special case, he's still a striker and I think it's less of a handicap than for a midfielder who has to do a lot of runs, or a defender.
He knows how to manage himself, it will be according to his feelings and what he will be able to do, according to the discussion with the coach as well.
If it's not for the first game, it will be for the second.
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Are these injuries impacting team morale?
Both are on the right track, we have confidence, we know that they will be with us very soon.
We're really not affected by that.
For players who are outside the group, who weren't taken or injured like Christo (Nkunku) just before the competition, they are important players.
They could have brought a lot to the team but that's football.
We will have to do without them.
Do you care that your image is still blurred for the general public in France?
This will necessarily change if the competition goes well, but I feel good like that.
If my image is a bit blurry, it's also because I want it.
I don't spread out a lot, I don't show myself off the pitch so much but as I said, it will all depend on the competition too.
We know that when things are going well everyone has a good image, everyone is strong.
Conversely, it can be more complicated, but I'm not focused on that.
I focus on my competition.