Paris (AFP)
Didier Deschamps, coach of the France team, unveils Thursday (2 p.m.) the group selected for the start of qualifying for the World Cup-2022 at the end of March, a list which should outline that expected for the Euro disputed this summer by the Blues (June 11-July 11).
During a press conference at the headquarters of the Federation in Paris, the coach will list the names of the internationals called for the reception of Ukraine, on March 24 at the Stade de France, and the double trip to Noursoultan and Sarajevo, the 28 and March 31 against Kazakhstan and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
His choices will be all the more scrutinized as this is the last list communicated before the announcement in May of the twenty-three players selected for the European Championship, where the Blues will face Germany in the first round, the Portugal and Hungary.
At the beginning of January, the boss of the 2018 world champions had said to know "about twenty" of them, as many essentials sure to be part of the continental trip except "imponderable or difficulties".
- Without Tolisso or Upamecano?
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Since then, Deschamps has unfortunately already had to cross out the name of Corentin Tolisso, seriously injured in the left thigh in February during training with Bayern.
The absence of the former Lyonnais, still called to the midfielder, was assessed at three months.
His future teammate in Munich, center-back Dayot Upamecano, should also be forced to skip the rally in March.
The 22-year-old neo-international, selected for the first time in September and recruited by Bayern for next season, suffers from a muscle problem which forces him to rest for "10 to 14 days", announced Monday the RB Leipzig .
The coach is also monitoring the state of form of Kingsley Coman, who was exempt from training on Tuesday due to muscle pain, and Anthony Martial, who was absent from Manchester United's trip to Milan in the Europa League on Thursday.
For the rest, the usual executives of the selection are expected for the launch of the qualifications for the World-2022, from Hugo Lloris to Kylian Mbappé via Raphaël Varane, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
- Suspense partly stale -
The list of French Hopes, unveiled Monday by Sylvain Ripoll, gave hollow indications of future absentees.
Houssem Aouar, Jonathan Ikoné and Eduardo Camavinga will indeed play the first phase of Euro-U21 at the end of March in Hungary.
"The priorities remain the same but there were a lot of exchanges with Didier Deschamps and his staff and he told me which players were selectable with the Espoirs. That's why these boys, who have already been in A , are with us, and then because we want to be strong, ”revealed Ripoll.
The two coaches had the opportunity to tune their violins during a seminar bringing together the French staff at the beginning of last week at Clairefontaine.
For Deschamps, the difficulties will not come from Ripoll but perhaps from the clubs, some of which are reluctant to release their players in these times of a global pandemic.
Several big European teams are braking four irons in the face of the risk of quarantine imposed on their players upon return from the selection, the Blues moving indeed outside the European Union ...
But according to sources familiar with the matter, discussions have taken place between the Federation, UEFA - organizer of qualifications for the Europe zone - and the government with a view to granting exemptions of septaine to the players concerned, provided they respect a strict health framework, the idea being that they move from one health bubble to another, without contact with the outside, during their transfers from the club to the selection and vice versa.
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