It is this Thursday that Didier Deschamps will announce, at 8 p.m. on TF1, the list of French players selected to compete in the European Championship in Germany, from June 14 to July 14. A list which, according to our information, will be made up of 25 or 26 elements and in which the Parisian Bradley Barcola should possibly appear. The first call-up of the 21-year-old striker, a promising international, would not constitute a real surprise given the place he has occupied at PSG for several months.
The expansion of the lists permitted by the regulations would mainly work in favor of the former Lyonnais who had not been selected for the March gathering despite the absence of Kingsley Coman due to injury. Since then, the native of Villeurbanne has played in a quarter-final and a half of the Champions League. And the hypothesis that he will be called up for Euro 2024 has taken on more substance.
Bradley Barcola, here against Toulouse in Ligue 1 last Sunday. 2024 Icon Sports
Still irregular, like its last outings in the Champions League, Barcola still showed some certainty in its ability to perform in decisive matches. Already a scorer against Real Sociedad in the round of 16, he greatly contributed to changing the destiny of PSG in the competition by producing a very consistent match, in Barcelona (1-4), under the watchful eye of Guy Stéphan, on April 16 , in quarters.
That day, on his left wing, the Parisian striker was really effective in making the Catalan defense dizzy. The kind of performance that counts when deciding and choosing players for a major international competition. An essential criterion in the eyes of Deschamps. Even if the coach undoubtedly appreciated the double confrontation against Dortmund less where, like the team, Barcola seemed more faded.
At the beginning of May, “DD” opened the door to a summons from Bradley Barcola in an interview with AFP. “It’s not because I’m not used to calling up players in the final phase that I haven’t selected before that I’m going to deprive myself of it,” he warned. In March, Moussa Diaby was present. He had been with us before and was doing some interesting things with Aston Villa. This was also the case for Bradley with PSG but it was more recent and required confirmation. Since March, he has confirmed his good intentions. »
Present at the Pavillon d’Armenonville on Monday May 13, accompanied by his assistant Guy Stéphan with whom he attended the UNFP Trophies ceremony, Didier Deschamps was teased by a fan as he left the red carpet. “Can you select Barcola, sir?” », Launched the young supporter under the amused gaze of the coach. Everything suggests today that this boy’s wish has a good chance of being granted. This very first call-up would reward a successful season for the striker, recruited for 50 million euros by PSG and who was not expected to have such a celebration at the start of the season.
