Mondial-2022: avalanche of injuries, poor form ... What will the list of Blues look like?

Who will be traveling to Qatar?

The avalanche of injuries among the Blues has thrown the blur on the list that coach Didier Deschamps will announce on Wednesday November 9 at 8 p.m. (Paris time) on TF1 for the World Cup-2022.

Asked repeatedly about the number of players he will take to Qatar, the boss of the France team has never answered clearly: "I have a certain margin between 23 and 26. At Euro-2021 , there were 26 of us, we had injured players and luckily Adrien [Rabiot] was there to compensate [the full-back position] on the left. always eleven places on the ground", explained Didier Deschamps in September

France 24 takes stock of the forces involved.

• The goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris indisputable, open competition behind

Except for a last-minute injury,

is indisputable as a goalkeeper in the eyes of Didier Deschamps.

He is the captain and his right-hand man.

It is not his relative poor form since the start of the season at Tottenham (15 goals conceded in 11 matches since the last gathering of the Blues) that will change the coach's mind.

Behind, goalkeeper positions number 2 and 3 are more open.

, the usual lining, has been on the flank since September 22 and no one knows if he will be operational in time.

His absence would therefore leave two places available for three candidates:

(Stade Rennais) would be the choice of experience while

(FC Nantes) and

(West Ham) would have the advantage of preparing for the future.

Note that the latter was already on the trip to Russia, which could be a slight advantage.

• Defenders: construction site and uncertainties

Both affected in recent weeks,

(Manchester United), in the thigh, and

(Paris Saint-Germain), in the Achilles tendon, hope to be recovered in time, but they remain fragile, especially the injured Parisian more recently.

Alongside them, world champions

(Bayern Munich),

(Bayern Munich) and his brother

(AC Milan) are expected.

Raphaël Varane almost recovered from his thigh injury ✅

Barring a huge surprise, he will be present in Didier Deschamps' list, which will be announced on Wednesday 🔜 pic.twitter.com/DzZZHrKM98

- CANAL + Foot (@CanalplusFoot) November 7, 2022

Jules Koundé 

(FC Barcelona), who had a rocky fall at the club due to a recurring thigh injury, should be available, but will not play a match again between now and the World Cup. 

For the last two or three places, on the other hand, the battle rages between the potential doubles.

The position of second left side will be played between

 (Real Madrid) and

 (Aston Villa).

The latter, recovered from a fatigue fracture, scored a goal from a free kick against Manchester United.

On the right,

(Olympique de Marseille) could bear the brunt of a tactical reshuffle by Didier Deschamps and a return to defense in 4, despite his string of good performances with the Blues and OM.

- Also on waivers:

Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool FC), Pierre Kalulu (AC Milan), Mohamed Simakan (RB Leipzig), Benoît Badiashile (AS Monaco), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Nordi Mukiele (PSG ), Axel Disasi (AS Monaco).

• Midfielders: orphans of Pogba and Kanté, a midfielder to reinvent

The magic doublet who carried the Blues in 2018 will not be on the trip:

 (Chelsea) and

 (Juventus) have both announced their withdrawal due to a hamstring and knee injury respectively .

Adrien Rabiot 

(Juventus), who finally confirms his potential with the Old Lady, should take up the torch, as

(Real Madrid).

His teammate

 (Real Madrid), who oscillates between selections with the Hopes and the A, could also be on the trip.

His status could also benefit

(AS Monaco) with whom he built automatisms in the Principality club.

🤔 After making defenders, which midfielders would you take if you were Didier Deschamps? #EDF #France pic.twitter.com/t6PySsXm39

— Prime Video Sport France (@PVSportFR) November 8, 2022

It is on the Marseille side that Didier Deschamps could find the bulk of his midfield troops.

 (Olympique de Marseille) and

 (Olympique de Marseille) constitute a combat-ready doublet for the former club, despite their recent disappointments in the Champions League.

And the "Desch'" could also have the unexpected reinforcement of

, another former member of the house now at Aston Villa.

Announced forfeit, he finally resumed competition last weekend.

For their part,

and

have disappeared from the radar by going into exile respectively in Qatar and MLS [Major League Soccer in the United States], while

has struggled to continue since his return to Olympique Lyonnais in due to a recurring left thigh injury.

However, a chef's surprise is always possible.

- Also on waivers: Tanguy Ndombele

, who has been reviving in an imperial Napoli since the start of the season.

• Forwards: Karim Benzema is starting to worry

The front of the attack is the one that presents the least uncertainty for the Blues.

(PSG) will hold his place, as will

 (Atlético Madrid), who should have the advantage of having more freshness than his comrades due to his incredible start to the season (until an agreement between the Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona, ​​he played only thirty minutes per game).

(Real Madrid), Ballon d'Or 2022, on the other hand, is starting to worry: his discomfort in the left thigh takes time to subside, he was still forfeited on Monday against Rayo Vallecano.

Carlo Ancelotti, however, assures that he will be put back for the last game before the break on Thursday.

Behind these indisputable candidates are many:

 on fire with RB Leizpig, and

(Bayern Munich) are on track to play their first World Cup,

 (FC Barcelona) is applying to participate in a second.

There remains the case of

.

The center-forward of AC Milan, second top scorer in the history of the Blues, is untenable in club despite his 36 years.

But Deschamps refuses, since the Euro, to call him at the same time as Benzema, believing that a player of this status can hardly accept a role of understudy without making waves.

But with a squad plagued by injuries, having a player with his experience to coach could be tempting for the coach.

- Also on waivers:

Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen), Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Wissam Ben Yedder (AS Monaco).

Zlatan: “Giroud in the national team?

Yes.

He is a winner, a serious person.

He's not someone who's going to give you 40 goals a year, but he brings something to the team that few bring because he's not self-centered on the pitch.

He plays for everyone” pic.twitter.com/kuCtlEYvbu

– News Foot (@ActuFoot_) November 3, 2022

The World Cup in Qatar beyond football:

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>> Behind "carbon neutrality", the "greenwashing" World Cup

>> "It's a disposable workforce": the hell of migrant workers in Qatar

>> A controversial World Cup: Qatar's efforts to counter criticism

>> Qatar: shadow workers

>> Should we boycott the World Cup in Qatar?

An Emirate under criticism

>> A bought World Cup?

Since 2010, suspicions of corruption have weighed on Qatar

>> After Qatar, is a "greener" World Cup possible?

>> Mondial-2022: a political, economic or "hypocritical" boycott?

>> I have the right, I don't have the right... Guide for the good little supporter in Qatar

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