The Blues will return from their international break with a record amount of players missing from the roster. Didier Deschamps needs to create by improvising to prepare for the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar from November 20 to December 18.
While the final meeting before a World Cup is expected to add the final automatisms to a collective that is already in place, the Blues will have to navigate through difficult waters at the end of September when they take on Austria and then Denmark in the League of Nations. The blame lies with an already overburdened infirmary, which continued to see new patients two days before the match at the Stade de France versus Ralf Rangnick’s band.
Hugo Lloris, the captain of the goalie position and a veteran of 139 selections, who was included on coach Deschamps’ first roster of 26 players, was forced to depart Clairefontaine on Monday due to an ailment to his right thigh. Therefore, the position of goalkeeper at Nantes was taken over by Alban Lafont.
The defensive sector is not left out despite Ibrahima Konate’s (two picks) knee injury, which has kept him off the grass with his club Liverpool since August 1. After making a poor tackle against Brest two weeks ago, Presnel Kimpembe, who has 28 caps, was added to the list of defensive players who are out with a hamstring injury. Lucas Hernández, who had 32 selections for Bayern, had an injury while playing against Barcelona in the Champions League when he complained of soreness in his left leg. His brother Theo Hernandez, who plays for Milan, takes a blow to the right adductor. Theo Hernandez has seven caps. While Lucas Worthy, who had 46 selections, was called up to replace the latter yesterday, the Aston Villa defender was also declared a victim of a “right ankle edema” package.
Read also: Blues: the damage continues with packages for Hernandez and Lloris… Digne and Lafont have been called in.
The curse spread to the middle of the field as well. In addition, executives Paul Pogba (91 selections) and N’Golo Kante (53 selections) are not playing since they are out with injuries to their knees and thighs, respectively. Even surgery couldn’t fix the troubles that the Juventus midfielder was having with his meniscus. Due to issues with his calf, Adrien Rabiot, who has 29 choices, has been unable to compete in Torino for the past ten days. After suffering an injury on Friday while playing against Southampton, his replacement, Boubacar Kamara, who has three caps, also had to give up. As a result, Jordan Veretout is the one who will be required to take over.
France reported a lower number of casualties and absences during the incident, with “just” two people receiving wounded. Karim Benzema, a striker for Real Madrid who has appeared in 97 games and scored 37 goals, is still out due to an injury he sustained in the Champions League match against Celtic Glasgow. Regarding Kingsley Coman (40 choices), he is still unable to participate due to a knock on the hamstring.
The misfortune of some…
While we daydream about life “post-Deschamps” by imagining what the future of the Blues would be like with Zinédine Zidane at its head and the departures of certain executives, this somewhat special international truce offers the opportunity for the French national team to test young players who are still developing their skills. Among these players are the Monegasques Benoit Badiashile and Youssouf Fofana, the goalkeeper Alban Lafont, but also the Frankfurt strike
Because of this circumstance, certain players, such as Aurelien Tchouaméni, Christopher Nkunku, Mike Maignan, or Dayot Upamecano, have been given a non-negligible opportunity to improve their position.