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How France could line up against Gibraltar

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 June 2023, 16:18
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has pulled out of Didier Deschamps's squad ahead of Friday's Euro 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal.

Rabiot has picked up a calf injury and has since been replaced by Aston Villa's Boubacar Kamara, who has cut his honeymoon short to link up with Les Bleus.

William Saliba, Paul Pogba, Lucas Hernandez and N'Golo Kante are also unavailable due to injury, while Christopher Nkunku and Ousmane Dembele have both been recalled after missing the last international break in March due to respective knee and hamstring problems.

Wesley Fofana has also returned to the senior set-up after withdrawing with a hamstring injury last time out, and the Chelsea defender is in contention to receive his first international cap, with the 22-year-old to compete with Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate and Axel Disasi for a start at centre-back.

Following the international retirement of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at the end of last year, Mike Maignan has since started the last two matches for France, and the AC Milan shot-stopper could keep his place between the sticks on Friday ahead of Alphonse Areola and uncapped Brice Samba.

Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni is the only midfielder in Deschamps's squad to have earned more than 10 international caps for France, and he is expected to line up alongside either Kamara, Youssouf Fofana, Jordan Veretout or Los Blancos teammate Eduardo Camavinga in the middle of the pitch.

Deschamps has as many as eight attacking options at his disposal, and the most likely to start is newly-appointed captain Kylian Mbappe, who is set to operate on the left, while Antoine Griezmann could continue in the number 10 role behind either Olivier Giroud or in-demand Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani.

France possible starting lineup: Maignan; Kounde, W. Fofana, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Y. Fofana; Coman, Griezmann, Mbappe; Kolo Muani

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