The Blues go to Vienna this Friday (8:45 p.m.) to face Austria in the League of Nations. Didier Deschamps’ players are suspended from the need for victory and the quest for certainty in view of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The coach must juggle between his desire to garner points by aligning holders and to rotate the group by giving playing time to substitutes or novices.
In a packed Ernst-Happel stadium, with a maximum of 44,800 spectators expected, the Blues will have to be wary of Austrians whom they have not beaten at home since 1993. The players will also have to be careful with the state of the lawn. The appearance of a thirty centimeter deep hole in the midfield triggered UEFA monitoring. After control, the European body gave the green light for the match.