2023-11-17 20:38:00
It would be surprising if the vice-world champions, authors of a flawless performance in their group (six victories in as many matches, thirteen goals scored, only one conceded), failed to get rid of one of the weakest nations of the planet, 198th in the Fifa ranking.
In the first leg, Didier Deschamps’ troops only did the minimum service, which did not prevent them from winning easily (3-0). Suffice to say that the outcome of the game is in little doubt, the only uncertainty concerning the final gap between the two teams. The record for the greatest success in the history of the France team (10-0 once morest Azerbaijan in 1995) will inevitably be in danger at the Allianz Riviera.
Finish among the top five
Even the coach, usually not inclined to get excited, did not want to deceive his people during the gathering at Clairefontaine. “I’m not going to scare the players but respect the opponent with this specific match once morest a regrouped team, like we had there. I understand that they have no worries, there is no does not have to have any, beyond doing the job, which is to say winning. With all respect to Gibraltar, no one can think that they will create difficulties for us“, explained Deschamps.
If the suspense is non-existent, the stakes are nevertheless not small. The Blues may have brilliantly secured their ticket for the European Championship in Germany (June 14-July 14) by winning last month in the Netherlands (2-1), the work is not completely finished.
To avoid unpleasant surprises during the draw for the final phase, on December 2 in Hamburg, the Tricolores will have to finish among the top five in the qualifying groups to be among the top seeds with the host country. A victory once morest Gibraltar would definitely do the trick.
L’attraction Warren Zaïre-Emery
Beyond the accounting question, the interest of the match lies mainly in the presence in the list of the Zaire-Emery phenomenon. The Parisian midfielder is the big attraction of this final camp of the year and should become, at 17 years, 8 months and 10 days, the youngest player to wear the blue jersey since 1911.
The injury absence of Aurélien Tchouameni and the withdrawal of Eduardo Camavinga, seriously injured in the knee on Wednesday, offer a golden opportunity to the PSG nugget to have playing time, or even perhaps a starting place. “If he doesn’t start, he will be international tomorrow anyway (Saturday, editor’s note).”revealed Deschamps on Friday.
Kolo Muani in the hot seat?
The opportunity is also too good for the French attackers to shine once morest a defense of necessarily poor quality. While no one has established themselves at the center forward position since the 2022 World Cup, Gibraltar seems to be the dream opponent for applicants for the role of N.9 to gain confidence at little cost.
Because behind the indestructible Olivier Giroud (37 years old), Randal Kolo Muani continues to disappoint despite the confidence of Deschamps (5 starts in 2023) and Marcus Thuram, in form with Inter Milan, his new club, must further gain weight internationally.
If he values the media “too harsh” with Kolo Muani, perhaps still haunted by his lost duel with Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the final of the 2022 World Cup, Deschamps will undoubtedly have limited patience if the PSG player, ineffective since the semi-final of the World Cup faces in Morocco (2-0), also remains ordinary in the French team.
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