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Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda and Alphonse Areola, goalkeepers of the France team at the 2018 World Cup. Franck Fife / Reuters

Hugo Lloris, the goalkeeper and captain of the French team, suffered a serious injury to his left arm with Tottenham on Saturday (October 5th). An injury that will leave him a moment away from the field. This prolonged absence highlights the evolution of the hierarchy among the guards of the Blues. Returning Steve Mandanda is back on the rope before facing Iceland and Turkey in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

It's a decidedly dark week for Hugo Lloris . It started with a big mistake against Southampton in the Premier League on 28 September (Tottenham win 2-1) and continued with a nightmare at home against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on 1 October (defeat of Tottenham 7-2).

On Saturday, October 5, Spurs' new defeat away against Brighton in the league was almost anecdotal for him (3-0). From this meeting, Hugo Lloris only saw the first 150 seconds.

The captain of the Blues " out " for several weeks at least

On one cross, Tottenham's goalkeeper stepped into the air but released the ball, losing balance and falling back into his cage. Neal Maupay took the opportunity to open the scoring, without knowing that Hugo Lloris had been hurt seriously.

When he fell, the Frenchman stretched out his left hand behind him to catch up. This is where his elbow gave way. The image of his crooked arm is hard to bear. Screaming with pain, the Spurs porter was quickly taken care of and placed under oxygen before being evacuated to a clinic.

Hugo Lloris dislocated his left elbow with Tottenham against Brighton on October 5, 2019. Andrew Coulridge / Reuters

The first verdict fell a few hours later: no fracture, but dislocation of the elbow. The extent of the damage is not yet known, but with such an injury, it is assumed that we will not see Hugo Lloris in the cage Tottenham for several weeks, maybe two or three months or more. Future examinations will refine the diagnosis. This is the first time in his career that the 32-year-old goalie has to heal such a serious injury.

Mike Maignan, confirmation

The announced package of Hugo Lloris is also a problem for the France team. Guardian number one since 2008, the former player of Nice and Lyon is also the captain. From the top of his 114 selections, he is a cadre of world champions. Facing his package, Didier Deschamps and his staff had to call a third goalkeeper for the games against Iceland (October 11) and against Turkey (October 14) in the framework of the Euro qualifiers 2020.

Steve Mandanda and Alphonse Areola already summoned, Mike Maignan was called to the rescue. Already invited for the first time last May, the Lille has, obviously, the esteem of the staff tricolor.

Previously, between 2014 (after the World Cup in Brazil) and 2018, this role was entrusted to Benoît Costil. But the Bordeaux, competing with Alphonse Areola since 2016, began to leave the tricolor group last year. He was only a reservist for the 2018 World Cup, while the Lloris-Mandanda-Areola trio flew to Russia.

Benoît Costil, 32, made his last appearance in Blue in September 2018, when Mandanda was injured. Since, when a member of the trio is unavailable or misformed (Mandanda last spring for example, read below), the preferred option by Didier Deschamps is Mike Maignan.

Mike Maignan, the goalkeeper of Lille, is appreciated by the staff of the France team. Pascal Guyot / AFP

The good performance of the Guyanese 24 years with Lille last season are probably for many. His new convocation confirms his status. Here he is installed, at least temporarily, in this role of substitute custodian. Mike Maignan is one step ahead of the former Benoît Costil and Stéphane Ruffier and the possible contenders Benjamin Lecomte and Alban Lafont.

The new Steve Mandanda on the track

The question of the goalkeepers settled, remains that of the successor of Hugo Lloris in the blue cage. Author of a difficult 2018-2019 season, Steve Mandanda (28 caps) was no longer called to the Blues since March. His absence automatically increased Alphonse Areola (3 selections) from number 3 to number 2 in the hierarchy. This allowed Areola to play friendly against Bolivia in early June, when Hugo Lloris was unavailable due to the final of the Champions League .

But Steve Mandanda achieves, personally, a very good start to the 2019-2020 season at Olympique de Marseille. His performances pleased Didier Deschamps who summoned him for the next meetings, pushing Mike Maignan out of the group for a while. The coach praised the " very good level found " and the " experience and important experience " of the goalkeeper of Marseille, 34 years old. He also insisted on one point: " Steve keeps the place that was his when he was there, namely that of number 2. " This already means that Alphonse Areola goes down to the post of number 3.

Steve Mandanda, performing well with OM at the start of the 2019-2020 season, returns to the French team. Jean-Paul Pelissier / Reuters

"El Fenomeno" Mandanda will involuntarily take advantage of the absence of the Tottenham player to keep the cage of the team of France again at the next appointments. With the fierce but healthy competition prevailing at this position, the margin of error will be very small for him and for the other last walls.