“How do you analyze Kylian Mbappé’s current poor form?
He is not at best reflecting his club’s results. Obviously, with everything he can do and his influence, it has a big impact on his team. This is not the first nor the last time that he has periods where he is less efficient. He may not have had a classic summer preparation. But I have no concerns about him and his competitive mindset. I know him well. He must not be satisfied right now. Even when he does well, he wants to do better.
What made you decide to take on Jonathan Clauss?
I had already more or less mentioned it during the last gathering. There is a question of competition. He plays more regularly in this position with his own qualities as a right back.
There can therefore be three right-backs with Benjamin Pavard and Jules Koundé…
Of the three, it is Benjamin Pavard who will be more refocused. He evolves like that at Inter Milan. But there are not many players confirmed at the high international level in this position. The door remains open.
Is Marcus Thuram taking on another dimension in his center forward position?
His dimension increases through what he does in the club and with us. He remains a young player but with a lot of room for improvement ahead of him. He knew it. He grew up in Italy. His father had to warn him. He is there to score goals. He is really positioned as a central striker at Inter. He has freedom but he alternates less than before. He now plays with two central attackers at Inter.
“Moussa Diaby deserves to be part of this list, like last month”
Ousmane Dembélé remains lacking stats and goals with you and at club. Does this annoy you?
No, it doesn’t annoy me. If in addition to its ability to eliminate, it added efficiency, that would be great. But yesterday (Wednesday), against Newcastle (1-4 in the Champions League), he made two more good moves. It’s nothing, just a few centimeters. But he knows he has to improve all that. If he managed to translate everything he does into goals, his record would gain more value and weight. But his register requires a lot of effort and he perhaps loses lucidity at the conclusion.
Moussa Diaby is in great form with Aston Villa but it is obviously still not the right time to return to the French team…
It could have been the right time, but not yet. There is a lot of competition in the offensive sector. It’s not accumulating players for the sake of accumulating them. As I said before: may he continue to perform well. But it deserves to be part of this list, like last month.
The 2030 World Cup will take place on three continents. Environmentalists are already denouncing this choice. What do you think ?
I will no longer be here in front of this microphone to speak in 2030! These are hyper-sensitive subjects. The slightest word… Does it go against it, yes… We must all try to make small gestures in our daily lives. I don’t want to be demagogy. We had it in Qatar. There will be more. If there was a solution to reconcile all of this…
“Antoine Griezmann is still an attacking midfielder. He has this ability with his volume of play to connect as much as possible with others”
Antoine Griezmann is still one of the attackers on this list. Is this his best position in the French team?
It’s between the lines. He fits well in a system (3-5-2) at Atlético. He has this ability to be able to evolve in the middle zone. It can evolve in a lower register. He’s still an attacking midfielder. He has this ability with his volume of play to connect as much as possible with others. Every time he gets possession of the ball, something happens, whether offensively or defensively.
Have you thought about taking Warren Zaire-Emery to the Espoirs?
We talk with Titi (Henry, the Espoirs coach). Warren, this is potentially very interesting. He is capable of being on this list. The priority, I leave it to Titi and the Hopes but if he continues like this, he will be a serious candidate because of what he achieves and his maturity.
And Mathys Tel?
He has this ability to enter with Bayern Munich and be decisive. It’s very interesting to have this ability to be decisive with this little playing time. We are attentive. But with Warren, there is still a difference between a starter at PSG and a replacement at Bayern. »
