Ligue 1 on Qatari time? While nine players playing in the French championship had been crowned world champions in Russia in 2018, they are at least as many to claim to be able to integrate the list of the French team for the 2022 World Cup, which Didier Deschamps will announce, Wednesday, November 9, at 8 p.m.
Faced with the injuries and poor form of some, the next day of Ligue 1 (November 4-6), represents the last chance for others, to be part of the list of 23 or 26 of the coach of the Blues. Franceinfo: sport takes stock of these players who want to take advantage of a final window during this Ligue 1 weekend, to hope to be on the trip to Qatar.
Last rod for Mandanda in goal?
Mike Maignan is still uncertain because of a left calf injury, a place may be to take in the goals of the French team, behind the world champions Hugo Lloris and Alphonse Areola. The experienced Steve Mandanda (37), called during the last rally, holds the rope, especially since he was Lloris’ understudy during two World Cups (2010, 2018) and three Euros (2012, 2016, 2020). The Stade Rennes goalkeeper will have one last opportunity to show off on Sunday, on the Lille lawn, and convince Didier Deschamps to give him one last international freelance.
Badiashile, Clauss… The floor for the defense
The relapse of Presnel Kimpembe, linked to “Achilles tendon discomfort”, could reshuffle the cards in the defensive organization of Didier Deschamps, if the coach were to do without the Parisian. In the absence of the central defender in September, the young Benoît Badiashile (21) had made his debut for the France team. The left-handed central, who will play with Monaco in Toulouse on Sunday, will therefore be able to show himself on the contrary to Kimpembe, uncertain for the trip from Paris Saint-Germain to Lorient on Sunday.
players selected for the World Cup!
Wednesday, November 9
At 8 p.m. on TF1#ProudToBeBlues pic.twitter.com/92e5nqnvW3– French team (@equipedefrance) October 8, 2022
If in the right axis, the uncertainties around Raphaël Varane (injured in the right thigh) should not benefit an Axel Disasi (Monaco), there are moves to be made on the sides. Systematically called up since March, the right piston Jonathan Clauss will try to shine one last time with Olympique de Marseille against Olympique Lyonnais, when on the left, Rennais Adrien Truffert will play without pressure against Lille, hoping that a combination of circumstances offers him his chance as in the last rally.
A medium with a Marseille and Monegasque accent?
After the confirmed packages of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté, at least three places remain to be taken in the midfield, alongside Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni. One of them seems destined for the Monegasque Youssouf Fofana, who made his debut in Blues last September, and whose complementarity with Tchouaméni wreaked havoc in the principality last year. The other could go to Eduardo Camavinga. Eliminated from the race for Europe with OM on Wednesday, Mattéo Guendouzi (6 caps, 1 goal) and Jordan Veretout (5 caps) could console themselves by winning the Olympico and their place in Qatar.
A surprise striker behind Mbappé?
Attacking leader of the French team with Karim Benzema, the Parisian Kylian Mbappé may not be the only offensive player in Ligue 1 to join Qatar. Author of seven goals in October, the Monegasque Wissam Ben Yedder has a last chance in Toulouse on Sunday, to change the mind of Didier Deschamps, who had snubbed him in September. If the coach of the Blues calls 26 players instead of 23, Martin Terrier, decisive 15 times in 18 games with Stade Rennes this season (11 goals, 4 assists), can he be called in extremis? His exit on injury, Thursday in the Europa League, and his package for the trip to Lille in Ligue 1, have undoubtedly compromised the meager hopes he could foresee of integrating the group of Blues on the gong.