So we left for an evening of great premieres. The cascading injuries certainly foreshadowed some adjustments in the starting lineup of the France team on Thursday evening against Austria. They should take the form of baptisms of fire since Benoît Badiashile and Youssouf Fofana could experience their first tenure with the A’s on Thursday at the Stade de France.
Aligning the Monegasque defender and midfielder from the start, this is indeed the plan that Didier Deschamps seemed to have in mind, Wednesday evening during the training session he led in Saint-Denis. For lack of having done so earlier, the rehearsal carried out on the eve of this penultimate meeting of the League of Nations gave some clues to the profile of the team which should open the ball against the troops of Ralf Rangnik.
In the absence of Hugo Lloris, victim of an injury to the right thigh, Mike Maignan will as expected be established for the 4th time in goal. But it is behind and in the midfield that the real surprises lie. Back in a 3-4-3 scheme, the French team should see the Koundé – Varane triplet and therefore Badiashile compose the tricolor rear guard. On the sides, the piston roles should go to Marseillais Jonathan Clauss (right) and Madrid Ferland Mendy (left).
Dithyrambic about him in a press conference, the coach will trust Aurélien Tchouaméni in the midfield. But rather than associating his partner from Real Eduardo Camavinga with him, Deschamps took the option Youssouf Fofana, with whom the Madrid also have some automatisms after playing for two seasons alongside him in Monaco.
Finally, the offensive animation should be entrusted to Antoine Griezmann, little worn by his reduced playing time at Atlético Madrid, who will be responsible for supplying the pair of attackers Giroud – Mbappé.
Equipe probable : Maignan – Koundé, Varane (cap.), Badiashile – Clauss, Tchouaméni, Fofana, F. Mendy – Griezmann – Mbappé, Giroud.
