After two days of gathering at the Clairefontaine training center (Yvelines), mainly dedicated to recovery, “Kyky” and the Blues get to the heart of the matter on Wednesday, with this departure for Doha.
But, taking off from Le Bourget just after 10:30, they no doubt had an exciting thought for Nkunku. Germany’s current top scorer suffered a sprained left knee on Tuesday night and had to retire.
After Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, Presnel Kimpembe and Mike Maignan, who also threw in the towel, it’s carnage for the world champions.
You have to keep your focus on the game and avoid wasting energy.
A meteoric rise
Coach Didier Deschamps has decided to call up Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, who will join the Blues this Thursday morning in Doha. FIFA allows changes to be made to the official squad in the event of a serious injury up until the day before the start of the competition.
At 23, the former Nantes resident is enjoying a meteoric rise as he still plays for his country during the 2019-2020 season, with Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Preferred by other attacking players like Wissam Ben Yedder or Moussa Diaby, Randal Kolo Muani is benefiting from his great start to the season with Frankfurt who are competing in the Champions League.
He has already scored eight goals this season in all competitions, including six since mid-October and two in the Champions League, helping his side qualify for the round of 16.
Benzema and Varane preserved
Despite injuries, the Blues need to dive into the competition quickly.
At the end of the afternoon they settled at the Al Messila hotel, west of the city centre, a five-star haven of peace appreciated by the staff for its tranquility and green spaces.
On the other hand, there was no peace of mind for the medical staff, attentive to the recovery of defensive leader Raphaël Varane and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, both hit in the thigh and absent from collective sessions until then.
The physical state of the troops isn’t the only hot spot at the start of the rally.
The Blues have worked, on the one hand, on the guidelines of the future convention to regulate the exploitation of their image rights, which has been the subject of tension since the spring.
Instead, they were called to take a stand on the controversies surrounding the host country, targeted by NGOs over its management of human rights, in particular on the construction sites of the World Cup.
Criticism will be extinguished by the pledge made by the Blues on Tuesday to provide financial support to working NGOs “for the protection of human rights”remembering theirs in passing “attachment” au “rejection of all forms of discrimination”?
Their captain Hugo Lloris took over the fact of “keep your attention on the game and avoid wasting energy with these elements, which unfortunately are not your responsibility” Players.
He also confirmed that he had given up on the idea of wearing a colorfully striped captain’s armband in Qatar, in favor of inclusion. An initiative launched by various European selections, but for which Fifa has not yet given its consent, four days before the start of the tournament.
