Solna (Sweden) (AFP)

Upset by the Covid-19 which caught up with Steve Mandanda, the France team wants to ignore a "heavy", "restrictive" and "anxiety-provoking" health context, assured coach Didier Deschamps on Friday, on the eve of the first match of the Blues in League of Nations in Sweden.

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Adapt to a "heavy" context

Didier Deschamps (coach of the Blues): "We were able to do a few collective sessions this week, but I do not pretend to put players at an equal athletic level. Do training sessions and play a full match, this is no It's not at all the same efforts. There was the pleasure of meeting up, of being on the ground. We all live in a particular, anxiety-provoking situation, with some who have more worries than others. adapt, the context is rather heavy and restrictive, but we have no other solution. We are there to respect the protocols and make sure not to run the slightest risk. "

Hugo Lloris (goalkeeper and captain): "Above all, it's a back-to-school match, for most players it's the first of the season. We know the circumstances, we adapt as a top athlete. We are all happy to be back with the national team after a certain delicate period, with a new competition starting while waiting for the Euro in June. "

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Eduardo Camavinga, last seated

Lloris: "If he (Camavinga) has a path or traces to follow, it is those of his teammates like Raphaël Varane, Kylian Mbappé or Paul Pogba, they arrived very young in the selection. Eduardo is a young player but he fits perfectly into the team, on and off the pitch. He has a very endearing personality with a lot of humility. There is an anecdote to take out: on the bus or at the table, he waits for everyone to world is positioned to be able to take an empty place. It shows his respect and his humility within the team. "

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Adrien Rabiot, "life goes on"

Deschamps: "I had a discussion with him, we spoke, he told me things, I told him certain things. It belongs to the past. He did not have a lot of selections, he has 6. . That he remains on mixed performances, he is well aware of it. But it is behind, what is important for him and for me, it is today, what will happen tomorrow. We cannot erase what happened. Life goes on. What has changed is what he has achieved with his club since early 2020, it positions him again. It went well (this week), he 'There is no reason it should go wrong anyway. The important thing is that he is there, happy to be there, and that it doesn't impact what he did this week and what he will have to do on both matches. "

Lloris: "Above all, it concerns Adrien and the French Football Federation, it concerns Adrien and the coach. As a teammate, the door is necessarily open, we are happy to find him with a smile. His goal is to s 'to settle in the long term with the France team. He gives himself the means to be there, he performed well with Juve. Obviously as a player at the time that may have surprised us but it is old story. Now he's here because the manager is counting on him and I'm sure he's ready to take on new challenges with the Blues. "

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"Never a pleasure" in Sweden

Deschamps: "(Having often caused problems for the Blues), it is the merit of this team, it is true that the France team has only won once here in the last five meetings. is an experienced team who know each other well, with very good quality players. It's never obvious, it's the truth of a game. It's never a pleasure to come and play here. Sweden does part of the very good European teams, able to beat other very good European teams. "

Interview at a press conference

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