The flashes will crackle, cars follow one another at regular intervals, players get out, giving a small wave, then climbing the steps of the castle. This immutable decorum will be respected this Friday, June 9, when 22 of the 23 internationals summoned by Didier Deschamps for the qualifying matches for Euro 2024 (June 14 – July 14) against Gibraltar, then Greece, on June 16 and 19, will take , around 12 p.m., their quarters in Clairefontaine before sharing a first lunch together. The staff, hard at work, from this Thursday, appreciates not having to deplore, for the time being, any physical glitch.
For several weeks already, Didier Deschamps had acted, in view of the rather disparate calendar of his internationals, to anticipate the start of the rally by three days. The double elimination of AC Milan (Giroud, Théo Hernandez, Maignan) and Real Madrid (Ferland Mendy, Camavinga, Tchouaméni) in the semi-finals of the Champions League (final on June 10), thus allows him to dispose of almost everyone. Only Alphonse Areola, winner of the Europa League Conference on Wednesday with West Ham, was authorized to join his teammates on Monday June 12.
After having completed their championship since the weekend of May 27 and 28, the Blues operating in the Bundesliga (Coman, Upamecano, Pavard) and in the Premier League (Wesley Fofana and Konaté) observed a maintenance program transmitted by the tricolor staff . This consisted, in particular, of stretching, running or bodybuilding.
Expected change between the two games
Christopher Nkunku and Randal Kolo Muani, involved in the Germany Cup final, played on June 3 between Leipzig and Frankfurt (2-0), had stretched their season. On this occasion the first, already co-best director in the Bundesliga, distinguished himself by opening the scoring and distilling a decisive pass. Like the other players playing in France, Italy and Spain where the domestic competition ended on June 3 and 4, they were then able to benefit from a break of four or five days.
The recovery at Clairefontaine promises to be classic with a cycling session on the menu, a battery of physical tests, then of course collective training which will make it possible to refine the eleven called up to start against Gibraltar. Given the fatigue inherent in the advanced stage of the season, Deschamps will very possibly make several changes between the two meetings spaced out by barely 72 hours.
The Blues will leave Clairefontaine on Thursday June 15 for Faro in Portugal where the confrontation against Gibraltar will take place. The Football Federation of the Spanish enclave (GFA) announced on October 13, 2022 that its selection would play its qualifying matches at the Algarve stadium (30,335 seats). This choice is due to the end of a special authorization issued by UEFA allowing it, until then, to receive in its obsolete Victoria Stadium.
France are currently at the head of their group after their successes over the Netherlands (4-0) and Ireland (1-0) in March.
The list of 23
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba.
Defenders: Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Théo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Ferland Mendy, Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano.
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Antoine Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Forwards: Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembele, Olivier Giroud, Randal Kolomuani, Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Thuram and Christopher Nkunku.
