French team: return of Mbappé and Tchouameni, first for Pagis… Zidane’s list for Italy and Turkey
Mbappé returns, several packages including Dembélé, Saliba and Koundé
Quick Look
- Zinédine Zidane unveiled his list of 23 players for his second coaching internship on Friday at the FFF headquarters, with the return of Kylian Mbappé after his injury in Turkey.
- The Blues face Italy in Milan next Thursday, then Turkey in Bordeaux on Sunday, for the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Zinédine Zidane made his first rally as coach of the Blues last September and October. The French team is first in group A1 of the League of Nations with ten points out of twelve possible. Zidane was trained in Cannes and played 179 matches with Girondins de Bordeaux between 1992 and 1996, before joining Juventus and then Real Madrid.
Zinédine Zidane, act II. After his first meeting in the coach's costume, last September and October, the former playmaker of the Blues unveiled, this Friday, at the headquarters of the French Football Federation (FFF), his list for what will be his second internship, next week. A list of 23 names which notably includes the second in the Ballon d'Or ballot, Kylian Mbappé, back after being injured in Turkey (0-1), which forced him to miss the following three matches.
The new boss of the Blues was faced with several packages to put together this second list, from Ousmane Dembélé to Manu Koné, including William Saliba (who has only just returned to training and who has been out since the World Cup), Maxence Lacroix, Jules Koundé, Hugo Ekitike and even Maghnes Akliouche, but also Estéban Lepaul.
Heading for Milan and Bordeaux
First in the standings of group A1 with ten points out of twelve possible, the Blues are in an ideal position to reach the quarter-finals of the Nations League. They will first travel to Milan to face Italy next Thursday, before completing their group stage against Turkey next Sunday, near Bordeaux. A final match which will perhaps have no impact on the standings, but which will necessarily be special for Zinédine Zidane. Trained in Cannes, the native of Marseille played 179 matches with the Girondins (39 goals), between 1992 and 1996, before exporting his talents to Juventus (1996-2001) then to Real (2001-06). Back to basics.
More information to follow…
The Blues list for Italy and Turkey (23 players):
GOALKEEPERS: Maignan (Milan), Remains (Toulouse), Risser (Lens)
DEFENDERS: Diouf (Inter), Gusto (Chelsea), Jacquet (Liverpool), Kalulu (Juventus), Konaté (Real), Truffert (Bournemouth), Upamecano (Bayern), Yoro (Manchester United).
MIDDLES: Camavinga (Real), Cherki (Manchester United), Da Cunha (Como), Rabiot (Milan), Tchouaméni (Real), Zaire-Emery (PSG)
FORWARDERS: Barcola (Liverpool), Doué (PSG), Mbappé (Real), Olise (Bayern), Pagis (Paris FC), M. Thuram (Inter)
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The France team will face Italy in Milan next Thursday and Turkey in Bordeaux next Sunday.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What are the results of the matches against Italy and Turkey?
- Who will replace the forfeited players on the list?
- Will the list be changed before the matches?
