Didier Deschamps will have to tinker. Faced with four size absences, three in defense (Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Jules Koundé) and one in the middle (Eduardo Camavonga), the coach of the French team had to face a real headache to constitute his list of 25 players for the Final Four of the League of Nations (from June 4 to 8), who will see the Blues confronting Spain and Portugal.
If “DD” did with the means behind, by summoning Pierre Kalulu for the first time and recalling players like LoĂŻc BadĂ©, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez and ClĂ©ment Lenglet, he took no risk in the midfield. The 1998 and 2018 world champion thus maintained his confidence in the regulars MattĂ©o Guendouzi, Manu KonĂ©, Adrien Rabiot, AurĂ©lien Tchouameni and Warren ZaĂŻre-Emery.
A choice that may surprise the latter. Propelled to the front of the stage a year ago, the Parisian lost his place as a holder under the orders of Luis Enrique. Didier Deschamps could therefore have preferred a more efficient player to him, like Corentin Tolisso. “He is not in his happiest period, which is also linked to the fact that he had an injury at the wrong time, and from competition to PSG”he concedes.
Warren ZaĂŻre-Emery compared to Olivier Giroud
“He's a very young player (19). A career is never without a little more difficult periodcontinues the coach of the Blues. He has not lost his qualities. He can less express them because of his playing time, but it remains a player on which I count even if he did not have much playing time with us. »» Will he have it during the semi-final against La Roja on June 5 in Stuttgart? Nothing is less certain.
But the Basque technician still believes in him and does not hesitate to compare “Wze” to an illustrious French international, who lived the same situation a few years ago. “For example, Olivier Giroud no longer played in Chelsea (from 2018 to 2021)he recalls. But it is not because it is harder in their club that they should no longer come in selection. This is important for players to know that they have my support. »»
