Preparation for the Euro in Germany has started for the French team. The coach and his staff intend to get the group back on its feet, which is not in the best shape.
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They are (almost) all at Clairefontaine, but in what state of shape? Twenty players from the French team selected for Euro 2024 football gathered on Wednesday May 29 in Clairefontaine, in the rain, while waiting for the Madrid players from Real and two Milan players, expected Monday evening by Didier Deschamps. All smiles, sometimes a little emotional like N’Golo Kanté for his return… On their arrival, one certainty for all these players: the season has been long and trying.
Moreover, several of them still have after-effects: lGoalkeeper Mike Maignan and striker Kingsley Coman are still convalescing or Aurélien Tchouaméni, forfeited for the Champions League final on Saturday June 1, in London with Real Madrid, are all cases to manage for Didier Deschamps. And the national coach admits it: he will not be able to perform a miracle before the start of the Euro.
“I’m not a magician. It’s not with the time given to us that we can change anything.”
Didier Deschampsat franceinfo
“We are doing general and individualized work for some, but it is not going to be a program for two, for three or for four. The objective will be to get everyone ready for June 17”pleads Didier Deschamps.
Not to mention some executives in poor shape. The name of Kylian Mbappé is one of the most cited, despite a successful season from a statistical point of view, which Didier Deschamps recalled with a touch of irony: “Because you don’t think he’s in good shape? He only scored 44 goals in the season. It’s true that he could have done better, but hey“, laughs the coach.
Didier Deschamps who hopes that the future of Kylian Mbappé will be quickly resolved, so that the preparation can be done with peace of mind as quickly as possible. Then it will be time to switch to the most intense preparation, with two friendly matches, June 5 in Metz against Luxembourg, June 9 in Bordeaux against Canada, before joining their base camp for the Euro, on the side of Paderborn, in North Rhine-Westphalia, on the 12th… before facing their first opponent in competition, Austria, on the 17th in Düsseldorf.