Coach Didier Deschamps finds himself in a balancing act halfway through the June rally, badly embarked with a defeat (2-1 against Denmark), a draw (1-1 in Croatia), two players in bad shape training (Kylian Mbappé and N'Golo Kanté), questions about his game system, and an Austrian field whose state questions.

On the tails side, the desire to defend the title won in the League of Nations invites to trigger a state of emergency, with a return of the usual holders and the tactical scheme proven this season, which the coach has put aside the time to a game in Split.

On the face side, the stated need to prepare for the World Cup, six months before the departure for Qatar, encourages us to extend the field of experimentation, in particular by giving playing time to substitutes, players with few skills or novices, such as Ibrahima Konate.

"The two (goals) are not incompatible," Deschamps replied on Thursday.

"We will do everything to think about winning" against Austria, but "it's also still preparation matches", he continued, referring to a dense schedule and tired, even injured players.

Mbappé still preserved

French defender Ibrahima Konate in training the day after the France Croatia meeting in the League of Nations, June 7, 2022 in Split FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

The boss of the world champions, who had only lined up two on Monday in Split (Benjamin Pavard and Presnel Kimpembe), will also perhaps have to pass the services of Mbappé and Kanté, affected in one knee, and 'Adrien Rabiot, exempted from collective training on Thursday evening.

In Vienna, the expected rotation gives hope to Konaté, capable of playing both in a defensive curtain with three defenders (as before in Leipzig) or in a back base with four (device in which he plays in Liverpool).

In a packed Ernst-Happel stadium, with a maximum of 44,800 spectators expected, the 23-year-old central defender would like to treat himself to the first thrills of a Marseillaise with the A jersey on his back, alongside French stars Hugo Lloris, Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema, expected in the starting "eleven".

The unfortunate Champions League finalist is applying for a start, while William Saliba has already played half-time in Saint-Denis and then a match in Split.

In the middle, Aurélien Tchouaméni is the only Frenchman to have chained two matches, which gives hope to Boubacar Kamara and Mattéo Guendouzi, since Rabiot and Kanté are not in top form.

The hole?

"Hard to believe"

The lawn of the Ernst-Happel stadium on the eve of the meeting between Austria and France, June 9, 2022 in Vienna FRANCK FIFE AFP

The risk of injury, precisely, can trot in the heads of the players, at the end of an interminable season and on a lawn which has been talked about a lot in recent hours.

The appearance of a minus 30 centimeters deep hole in the middle of the field on Monday at the end of Austria-Denmark, probably caused by heavy rain, raised the threat of a postponement and caused controversy in the local press.

Thursday evening, Deschamps and his deputy Guy Stéphan inspected the area concerned at length, where a large strip of new grass was visible.

"It was quite difficult to believe it, we even had the impression of an assembly. A priori everything has been checked and analyzed", reacted captain Hugo Lloris.

"There may be a little bit of apprehension arriving on the pitch, but the training before the match will allow us to test this pitch well and choose the right studs."

Austrian defender David Alaba at a pre-match press conference between Austria and France on June 9, 2022 in Vienna FRANCK FIFE AFP

The Blues expect whatever happens to a delicate opposition in Austria, where they have not won since 1993.

Against Croatia (3-0 victory) and Denmark (2-1 defeat), defender David Alaba's team "was impressive in terms of dynamism, determination, physical freshness", pointed out Deschamps.

"It's up to us not to be trapped and to use depth because it's a team playing very high," said Lloris.

© 2022 AFP