Juventus Turin player Adrien Rabiot is back with the French football team for the next Nations League matches, after refusing a reserve place in the 2018 World Cup. "There has never been a ditch. 'affront to the coach or aggressiveness, "he said Thursday.

"There has never been an affront to the coach or aggression" and Didier Deschamps "knows it well," said midfielder Adrien Rabiot on Thursday, back in the France team two years after refusing to be reservist at the World Cup-2018.

"With the coach, I do not find that there has been a troubled period. There has never been an affront to the coach or aggression towards the coach and that he knows well," said the Juventus Turin player in an interview broadcast by the French Football Federation.

Rabiot had refused a reservist place in 2018

Selected among the eleven reservists for the 2018 World Cup, won by France, Rabiot had refused this substitute position via an email sent to the coach.

This choice did not respond to "any sporting logic", he argued in an open letter.

"I know that the coach does not stay fixed on this kind of thing and he looks especially at the performances", explained Rabiot Thursday, "very happy to be again at the Château with the team".

"With Didier Deschamps it's also going very well, we had the opportunity to discuss, to exchange a little bit about what had happened in 2018 but also on this gathering, on Juventus, on what I also live, "he said, preferring however to keep silent about the content of the exchanges.

Its "objective", to be "as efficient as possible"

At 25, Rabiot believes that his return to the selection coincides with a period when he was "able to replay and find (his) level" at Juve.

"In the last few months I have had quite complicated periods so it was not justified to come back to the France team".

"From this selection, I expect good things, that it will allow me to be able to play again in the France team, (...) to be able to show myself, to assert myself in this team because I came quite early anyway".

During the six previous selections, "I have not been as efficient as possible so that is the goal above all," he said.

Rabiot last wore the France team jersey in March 2018 in a friendly match won 3-1 in Russia.

For their comeback, the Blues face Sweden on Saturday in Solna and then host Croatia on Tuesday, September 8 in Saint-Denis as part of the League of Nations.