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LES BLEUS’ CHANCES

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The French squad looks seemingly invincible on paper at least. With the likes of Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba,France will look to win Euro 2020 this summer with Didier Deschamps in the dugout after their World Cup triumph three years ago in Russia.

 

 

FootTheBall analyses the Frenchmen’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of the Euro 2020 tournament commences on June 11th, 2020 in Rome.

 

STRENGTHS

1) FEROCIOUS ATTACK

France possess arguably the most ferocious attack among all the teams at Euro 2020. They include names like Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, Antonie Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Wissam Ben Yedder to lead the line.

 

 

Benzema was brilliant for Real Madrid this past season and was recalled by Deschamps after a five year hiatus from the national team set-up. Mbappe scored a whopping 41 goals in the 2020-21 campaign and Antoine Griezmann improved at the Camp Nou as compared to the 2019-20 season.

2) N’GOLO KANTE

N’Golo Kante was instrumental in France’s victory in Russia three years ago. The 30-year old has won almost every trophy there is to win in England and Europe at the club level. The only trophy missing from his cabinet is the European Championship.

He was exceptional for Chelsea last season as he collected player of the match awards in both the semi-final legs with Real Madrid and also in the all-important Champions League final with Manchester City. 

 

 

He will be tasked with stopping the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Serge Gnabry and Thomas Mueller as France will clash with Portugal and Germany in the group stages and expect the former Leicester City midfielder to be up to the task at hand.

The former Boulogne player has also been touted as the heir apparent to Claude Makelele in the French squad due to his impressive performances for Les Bleus recently.

 

3) SEEMINGLY WATERTIGHT CENTRE-BACK PAIRING

France have a pretty strong centre-back pairing of Raphael Varane and Presnel Kimpembe who are in line to start for Les Bleus at Euro 2020. And the list of centre-backs that Didier Deschamps has at his disposal doesn’t stop there.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPofwicsdX1/

 

He can also call upon the services of Jules Kounde, Kurt Zouma and Clement Lenglet for France as and when the need arises for it.

 

WEAKNESSES

1) LACK OF A NATURAL NO. 10

Notwithstanding the immense attacking talent in the Les Bleus squad, they don’t have what one may call a classic or natural no. 10 players who can dictate the play from the centre of the pitch. 

 

 

They have a lot of wingers like Kingsley Coman and Ousmane Dembele, but still the lack a traditional no. 10 will be felt by Didier Deschamps’ side

 

 

2) NON-ATTACKING FULL-BACKS

Deschamps’ plethora of attackers will not be aided by attack-minded full-backs apparently at Euro 2020. 

Bayern Munich’s full-backs Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez will be lining up in defence alongside Raphael Varane and Presnel Kimpembe.

 

 

But neither of them are renowned for their attacking contributions at the Allianz Arena. Both of them combined for a meager 3 assists during the entire 2020-21 campaign in the German top flight for the Bavarians.

And this will be a cause for concern for Les Bleus as they bid to win their third European Championship after suffering heartbreak five years ago on home soil as Portugal won the continental tournament.

 

3) WHERE WILL BENZEMA FIT IN THE TEAM?

Karim Benzema is returning to the France fold after a sabbatical of sorts. France reached the Euro 2016 final and won the 2018 World Cup in Russia without the 33-year old in the ranks for Les Bleus.

 

 

Antoine Griezmann was the centre forward who starred in these tournaments for France and given his impressive performances for Didier Deschamps and the national team, it will be difficult to see Benzema challenging the former Real Sociedad player for a place in the starting line-up.

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