The French team will not have the right to make mistakes in their qualification group for the 2026 World Cup. The Blues were indeed placed in a hen of four and the slightest false-pass could afford at a high price in the race at first place, the only one who guarantees to get their ticket to the US World Cup.
Didier Deschamps' men will therefore have to hold their rank on Friday in Poland against Ukraine, which undoubtedly constitutes their main opponent. And this while the very confession of the tricolor coach, his players are clearly not in an optimal form.
“They are not at the maximum of their form, but I knew it, it's logical, he thus entrusted to
The team. Those who finished late cannot be 100 %, because they resumed later and there have been few matches. »» The former midfielder expected it and had also warned his players.
Didier Deschamps must adapt
“When they make seasons where they play everything, even the meetings where they could blow a little, they accumulate. And if you are doing a year like that, the second year, you pay … “, he explained, adding: “If you haven't recovered, that you play every three days, that you slept badly, tell your coach. He can make you blow or not. But at least try to exchange. It can avoid you hurting yourself and missing the big deadlines. »»
This situation has inevitably changed his profession as coach. “Before the 2014 World Cup, we had 28 days to prepare. The more the seasons pass, the less time we have. Today, when we have 15 days to prepare a big competition, we say thank you. It's the same for gatherings: before, we played on Saturday and Wednesday, a week ago to prepare the match, he said. On Tuesday and Wednesday, you had two good sessions. And you still had Thursday, where you could work, by lowering the intensity, everything that is stopped stopped … There, most often, we play on Thursday when most of the group has just played on Sunday. So, Monday and Tuesday, collective work, you forget. And Wednesday, you are on the eve of the match… ”
