France-Canada: Didier Deschamps “is not going to take any risks”

Ten days before the French team’s debut at the Euro, against Austria on June 17, Didier Deschamps does not want to take any risks. While his team challenges Canada on Sunday for its final preparatory test for the major continental meeting, the Blues coach should manage playing time this Sunday at Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux. Adrien Rabiot will not participate in the meeting, just like Aurélien Tchouaméni.

How are you approaching this match against Canada? What can it bring you more than the one against Luxembourg?

DIDIER DESCHAMPS: He’s a different opponent, who has a lot more response, particularly in the athletic field. This is the second and final repetition. I will be able to distribute playing times with the changes available. I will not take risks with certain players in view of our objective which is the match against Austria. There may be management in relation to the situation of certain players.

How do you judge this Canadian team?

It’s a collective, even if their last match against the Netherlands, one of our future opponents, ended in a heavy defeat (4-0). They held up well in the first period but after an hour, there were fewer people responding. We know some players who have passed through France. They are preparing for the Copa America, so they too are in preparation.

How is Adrien Rabiot?

Adrien Rabiot is doing much better, even if he will not be in a group session today, like Aurélien Tchouaméni. I probably won’t use it on Sunday, to avoid taking any risks. It should resume normally next week, when we resume.

“Having 25 players gives us a little more margin”

Concerning the goalkeepers, Mike Maignan reassured against Luxembourg. Do you foresee a change in the hierarchy between Brice Samba and Alphonse Areola?

Mike Maignan is doing well, he has passed the different stages. Playing this first match, finding his bearings, is important for him. On the hierarchy, if I haven’t told you anything, it’s because I have nothing new to say. Everything is clear internally.

Do physical concerns disrupt your preparation?

Aurélien Tchouaméni arrived with an injury, we knew that. Dayot Upamecano, this follows the first period against Luxembourg, we didn’t want to take any risks. These are problems to be managed in the short term. Ousmane Dembélé was not available for the first match, he had a temperature, a feverish state. Having 25 players gives us a little more margin.

Kylian Mbappé was the decisive passer twice against Luxembourg. Is this an aspect of his game that you are working on?

With Kylian, there is no need to work, he has it in him. It’s as if you were working on Antoine’s passing quality. They have that ability to have the opportunity to score and score. Both take as much pleasure in doing both. Against Luxembourg, it was Kylian, which didn’t stop him from scoring too. The more offensive players there are able to do this, the better, it is more dangerous for the opponent.

Is a tribute planned for Olivier Giroud, who should play his last match in France with the blue jersey?

It’s true that Olivier has a somewhat special situation. There were many things that were done before the gathering regarding him. I have a group, a collective, in which Olivier Giroud is. Which does not prevent me, when possible, from taking certain situations into account. Afterwards, we’re going to talk about his last training, his last night… We’re not going to have a festival every time. We’re not here for that. I don’t think he particularly thinks about it either.

“I already know who will play against Austria (up front)”

After the match against Luxembourg, you talked about adjustments to be made in attack. What do you expect from Sunday’s match from this point of view?

It all depends on what the opponent does. These are adjustments, slightly different positioning to be less predictable. We don’t have a lot of time. It’s not on the pitch, it’s also through discussions that I have with the players, their feelings, that I make these small modifications to find more complementarity. We also want to improve the shift between the offensive phase and the defensive phase, we didn’t have that problem against Luxembourg because they mainly defended. When we have the ball, there are no problems but despite everything, we have to correct certain positions. New technologies allow us to visualize all this after the fact.

Do you expect Antoine Griezmann to be more statistically decisive than at the 2022 World Cup?

His role is important, the more he touches the ball, the better. If he has to be in the box, it will mean that we are in a high and offensive position, so that will be good. This does not prevent him from having a role in the construction of the game, he does it naturally. He has the ability to be a midfielder. But in the last offensive phase, we indeed need presence in the area.

What do you ask Marcus Thuram and Olivier Giroud when they are on the pitch? Do you already know which of the two will start against Austria on June 17?

I don’t have a road map for each player. Marcus knows what I expect of him and what he must do in relation to our animation. Olivier, Randal and Kylian have different roles. Yes, I already know who will play against Austria.