Always talkative and laughing, never dodging any questions without ever saying too much when he knows he is expected on the subject, Didier Deschamps once again had a meeting with the press this Monday, in Clairefontaine, four days after the announcement of his list for the two friendly matches against Germany (March 23 in Lyon) and Chile (March 26 in Marseille).
Antoine Griezmann uncertain and “impossible” to replace
The opportunity in particular to come back to the various uncertain players for these two friendly matches, including Antoine Griezmann, in difficulty with an ankle.
“Checks are still in progress and will take place by this (Monday) evening,” announced the coach.
We will take stock, if I have to make decisions it will be tomorrow (Tuesday).
» Deschamps gave rather reassuring news from Ousmane Dembélé (pierced eardrum) and Lucas Hernandez, victims of problems “which do not seem to pose a problem”.
The absence of Antoine Griezmann, on the other hand, the cornerstone of the Blues' animation, could handicap him more.
“With Antoine’s qualities in his register, we are not going to find a player who has these characteristics,” said Deschamps.
When we know Antoine's influence, a replacement position for position is impossible or very very very difficult.
We will arrange it a little differently.
» If he were to forfeit, Griezmann would miss his first match with the Blues after an impressive run of 84 consecutive matches since June 2017.
On the management of Mbappé: “between playing too much and not playing…”
The day after a full match and a hat-trick from his captain with PSG in Montpellier (2-6), the coach was questioned about Kylian Mbappé, and about his recent management by Luis Enrique.
“This is valid for Kylian and for all the players,” said Deschamps.
The notion of freshness for a major competition is important, they will all arrive with a certain fatigue and if this fatigue can be reduced... Between playing too much and not playing, with the matches following one another, the "ideal" is to reduce the fatigue at the end of the season which accumulates.
Even if Mbappé is Mbappé, he enters into this reflection.
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A gathering to give everyone some play time
With two matches in three days, Deschamps and the Blues will have little time to breathe and will have to carefully manage everyone's physical and fitness levels.
For “DD”, these two matches will be an opportunity to have “associations which may be different between the two matches”.
“We are in rehearsal, these are two great friendly posters… The players come out of a course with a very high frequency of matches.
The advantage is to have a full week to prepare Germany, especially recovery by tomorrow because they really need it.
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Time, a problem that the coach will also have as the Euro approaches, with a short window between the end of club competitions and the start of the international window.
“The players can be mobilized by their club until June 3, we have a match on the 5th (…) we leave on the 12th for Germany, first match on the 17th, it is reduced.
We must involve as many players as possible so that they have playing time, anticipate what may happen in May or June, because we are never safe from injuries just before, or after this gathering.
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However, Deschamps moves forward with his certainties.
And he already assures that he has an idea of his team for the first match of the Euro: “If everyone is there, yes,” he assured with a smile.
Faced with Germany, “there will inevitably be someone to respond”
“I know it’s a very good nation,” Deschamps said of the Blues’ next opponent, who won the last clash between the two nations in September in Dortmund (2-1).
A high-level team with players who play in the best European clubs.
The important thing for us is to have our guiding idea.
When there is Germany, there is bound to be backlash and adversity.
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The Blues by train in June?
If it has often been discussed that the French team travels in a more “ecological” way, by train, this will not be the case for its next two matches, in Lyon and Marseille.
“It is the responsibility and the decision of our president (Philippe Diallo) and his CEO,” Deschamps dismissed the issue.
I have no problem taking it.
This is being studied for the preparation and the matches that await us in June.
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