France are preparing for their UEFA Nations League debut against Italy in the first match of Group 1 in League A. However, they will do so without Adrien Rabiot, who is currently without a club and has been excluded by coach Didier Deschamps, who described the situation as “embarrassing.”
During the pre-match press conference, Deschamps addressed Rabiot’s situation: “Rabiot has a somewhat embarrassing situation. He had 100% choice, his contract was expiring, and he was solicited by several teams. But now he’s without a team and doesn’t train in a group. I hope he can quickly choose a club that can then bring him back to us.”
Deschamps also reflected on France’s performance at Euro 2024: “Our lack of effectiveness penalized us at the last European Championship, but we still reached the semi-final. There are two games in three days, regardless of who takes the field, the ultimate goal will always be the same, to obtain the best possible result. These are not friendlies, it’s the Nations League.”
Regarding the direction of the new French team, Deschamps explained: “Through these six matches, we want to achieve the best results. To make progress, we need to see the players in action, and these six matches will be very useful for many players. Maybe this will harm the expression of collective play, but it’s important to test them to receive answers about some players.”
When asked about reconnecting with the French public, Deschamps commented: “We were in Germany, there were many French fans: we shared beautiful emotions, and then there was the disappointment of elimination in the semi-final. The public follows us a lot, and the Olympic interlude here in France was fantastic, magnificent. Sport knows how to unite, and for many years, this public has been following us more and more. The French national team is loved and supported, and it’s up to us with our actions to maintain this bond, to cultivate it. The players need this support, this love.”
Deschamps also discussed individual players, including Griezmann: “I often discuss with him, he’s the player I talk to the most because he’s been playing with us for the longest time. The fact that he’s not 100% today is not related to the Euros: when there’s such a short preparation for matches, you have to manage it thinking about playing time.”
Finally, when asked about Italy’s recent decline, Deschamps diplomatically responded: “I won’t allow myself to judge Italy, I don’t know everything they’ve been through. Spalletti will tell you something. Comparing what happened 5-10 years ago doesn’t make sense, Italy remains competitive, and Spalletti has changed several players compared to the last European Championship. Italy remains Italy, after what happened with the premature elimination, they will want to do well.”
