“Between now and the Euro, I can’t wait to see the other internationals again in September. When we leave each other in November to meet again in March, it already seems long to me. Then. Raphaël Varane will be able to grant this wish, expressed in the Parisian in July, from Monday. The kickoff of this gathering placed under high health vigilance (the public and the media will not be admitted to Clairefontaine), the first internship in more than nine months, will be given this Thursday by Didier Deschamps. At 2 p.m., at the headquarters of the FFF, the coach of the France team will resume a oratory exercise put to sleep during the pandemic: the statement of the list of players.
On the occasion of the double meeting against Sweden, in Solna, and against Croatia at the Stade de France, on September 5 and 8 as part of the League of Nations, it will draw abundantly from its hard core. The Blues of the Premier League, exempt from fourteen in their capacity of “elite sportsmen”, will be. Marseillais Steve Mandanda, infected with Covid-19, will necessarily be missed. With his exception, the other regulars of the group are all available even if they inevitably display disparate degrees of form.
Some were still on the bridge a few days ago in Lisbon, theater of the Final 8 of the Champions League, starting with the Munich winners Kingsley Coman, Corentin Tolisso, Benjamin Pavard or Lucas Hernandez (the last two cities could be replaced by Djibril Sidibé and Ferland Mendy) and the hapless Parisians Kylian Mbappé and Presnel Kimpembe. Others, like Hugo Lloris or Moussa Sissoko, have completed their championship with Tottenham since July 26.
With Pogba and Martial, without Matuidi
Among the goalkeepers the defection of Mandanda could allow Alphonse Areola and Mike Maignan to be present. Attentive to the behavior of young players, Deschamps inevitably appreciated the recent performances of the right-handed central defenders Dayot Upamecano (Leipzig) and Jules Koundé (Sevilla FC), both aged 21. The first one has a good chance of seeing his name appear in the list.
Excellent against Manchester City in the quarter-final and rather to his advantage in the second half against Bayern Munich in the semi-final, despite a difficult context, Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, 22, also scored points. After a long reflection, the Franco-Algerian (16 selections with the Hopes) has also recently chosen the tricolor selection and informed the Fennecs. This decision motivated by the evolution of his sporting career should earn him a call to the A.
Deschamps already wanted to call him in September 2019 before learning about his adductor injury. For the rest it will be classic with still the scheduled returns of Mancuniens Paul Pogba, finally rid of ankle problems, and Anthony Martial, author of 22 goals in 44 games in all competitions. As for Blaise Matuidi, left in the uncompetitive North American Championship (MLS) at Inter Miami, he will not be there this time, without being discarded in the future.
