Counting on champions: Deschamps eyes Nations League glory with PSG core, backs Dembele for Ballon d'Or
STUTTGART, June 5 — Didier Deschamps expects the Paris St Germain players to be ready after their Champions League success when France take on Spain in the Nations League semi-finals, with the manager also backing Ousmane Dembele for the Ballon d'Or.
PSG secured their first Champions League trophy with Saturday's 5-0 hammering of Inter Milan, with France's Warren Zaire-Emery, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue, Lucas Hernandez and Dembele all involved for the winners.
Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard also played for the losing side, and there has been little time to recover before Thursday's game in Stuttgart.
'They are here, so I am counting on them,' Deschamps told reporters.
'I found them very happy on Monday evening, of course, with a certain fatigue as well. Then, there were Benjamin and Marcus on the other side. The feelings and emotions were not the same.
'Ideally, when there is a peak like that, of course, you always have to come back down, but now, we need to quickly get back up because the match is close.'
Dembele was named Champions League player of the season, and much of the talk since Saturday's final has been about the Ballon d'Or award, with many seeing the PSG forward as the main rival to Spain and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.
'Of course I am for Ousmane, since he is French and with the season he is celebrating,' Deschamps said.
'Obviously, this Nations League can bring some elements of response, the Club World Cup too. If I have to choose, I tell you Ous, one hundred percent, of course.
'If you ask me about the Spaniards, I don't think they will tell you the same thing. But obviously, Ousmane, with the season he is having, deserves it.'
While Kylian Mbappe left PSG for Real Madrid at the end of last season without winning the Champions League, and ended this season without a league title in Spain, he was the top scorer in LaLiga and remains an important part of Deschamps' plans.
'You know his season as well as I do. He is now in very good shape and with a much better footballing and physical potential,' Deschamps said.
'Nothing changes, Kylian will have a central position.'
Germany and Portugal meet in the other semi-final on Wednesday in Munich, and the final on Sunday will also take place at the Allianz Arena, the scene of PSG's Champions League triumph. — Reuters
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