After the reconciliation, the reunion.

Some 2,058 days after his last visit, Karim Benzema set foot again, Wednesday, May 26, in Clairefontaine, on the first day of the Blues rally with Didier Deschamps to prepare for Euro-2021.

Wink and thumbs up in the direction of the few supporters present, the Real Madrid striker walked through the gates of the base camp in the Yvelines around 12:15 p.m., among the very first of the squad to respond to the summons of the coach, noted an AFP photographer.

Corentin Tolisso, midfielder of Bayern Munich, opened the ball shortly before noon, quickly joined by Everton defender Lucas Digne.

Captain Hugo Lloris then also arrived safely, like his world champion buddies Raphaël Varane, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé or Presnel Kimpembe.

The neophyte Jules Koundé, propelled at 22 years old with the Blues, also joined the "Castle".

Behind his mask with the blue-white-red border, Karim Benzema was able to measure the distance traveled since his last visit to the tricolor residence.

Since October 7, 2015, the day before his last match against Armenia in Nice (4-0), more than half a decade has passed without the center-forward being able to wear his colors again. country.

In question, the case of the "sextape" suffered by his teammate in selection Mathieu Valbuena, prelude to an international exclusion, by choice of the coach, then to an indictment for "complicity in attempted blackmail ".

"A non-event"   

Against all expectations, Didier Deschamps did not finally wait for the judicial outcome of the case, judged in October, to recall the 33-year-old striker.

The coach integrated him into the list of 26 players called up for the Euro (June 11-July 11) after a decisive head-to-head.

"If I made this decision, it is because everything went well, that everyone took stock of things," Deschamps commented on Wednesday, anxious to present this return as a "non-event". "That it interests outside yes, but for me ... He is happy to be there, it's been a long time, he has found his marks with the 21 other players", said the boss of the Blues, questioned during a remote press conference.

So here is "KB9" five years and seven months later, alongside players he has never seen on a daily basis such as Ousmane Dembélé or Kylian Mbappé, with one more star embroidered on his official tracksuit, and soon an unusual number 19 on the back. "I have the chance to play with Raphaël Varane in Madrid and he told me that everyone was waiting for me, that everyone was happy. I have no apprehension about my integration, I'm sure it's okay. super well going, "anticipated the scorer with 81 caps (27 goals) in an interview with L'Équipe.

His return eclipses the other stakes of the meeting fixed long ago by the management of the Blues: this May 26 gives the official "starting signal" of the preparation for the Euro, a very tight period of twenty days before the entry competing in Munich against Germany on June 15, in an ultra tough group F with Portugal and Hungary.

A complete health bubble on Monday

Faced with this extremely reduced schedule, it will be a question of ensuring "to get the 26 to be ready" for the first match, even if they "do not all arrive in the same state of form". "We have no choice, we will adapt", according to Didier Deschamps. The reigning world champions and vice-champions of Europe will, as since the start of the season, have to adapt to a complex health situation, with a health bubble enveloping a delegation deprived of almost any contact with the outside world. 

In the evening, management will be able to take a close look at the Europa League final, hoping that Paul Pogba, who plays with Manchester United against Villarreal in Gdansk (Poland), escapes last-minute physical glitches.

The Mancunien will be the 23rd man to join the France group on Saturday, while waiting for the last three laggards who will be engaged that day with Chelsea in the Champions League final: Kurt Zouma, N'Golo Kanté and Olivier Giroud.

The group should be complete "next Monday", hopes Didier Deschamps.

It will be two days before the first preparatory match for the Euro, on June 2 in Nice against Wales.

Staff vaccination, choice for the players

The management of the France team was vaccinated before Euro-2021, the Blues coach confirmed on Wednesday, saying that, on the other hand, no vaccination campaign for players against Covid-19 had been "organized" because it is a "personal decision".

"The vaccination remains a personal decision. Some may have been vaccinated on their own or with their club, although I think this is not the case," said the technician during a press conference. "There was nothing organized officially or unofficially," added the coach. He explained that UEFA, organizer of the Euro, had not issued any such requirements, but he considered that vaccination was "the only solution which allows us to fight against this virus" at the actual hour. 

"We made sure to vaccinate the entire staff, who are older than the players," he said, however, but "that does not give us a 100% guarantee" and does not exempt supervision of respect for "barrier gestures".

While some players were able to get vaccinated before the rally, such as Kylian Mbappé who made it official Tuesday on social networks, this will not be "possible" during the competition which starts on June 11, according to Deschamps who puts forward the "possible reactions in the days following an injection. 

The Blues are placed under a strict health bubble in their training center, where they undergo regular tests and where the slightest positive test for Covid-19 leads to the departure of a player.

"We will make sure to be as vigilant as possible," Deschamps insisted.

With AFP

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