Latest news with #Deschamps
Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Deschamps: Changes allow France to stake claim for World Cup spot
PA Media/DPA London France coach Didier Deschamps hopes the changes enforced on him for the Nations League third-place play-off against hosts Germany on Sunday will allow others a chance to stake their claim for the World Cup campaign. Already missing several regulars from the squad, Les Bleus saw Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Clement Lenglet all sustain injuries following Thursday night's thrilling 5-4 defeat by Spain in Stuttgart and released back to their clubs. Deschamps decided against calling up any late replacements, so the likes of Lyon winger Rayan Cherki - who impressed off the bench against Spain with a fine debut goal - could be handed another opportunity. 'As a result of having very little time, I will be forced to make a lot of changes,' Deschamps told a press conference ahead of Sunday's game, which will also be held at Stuttgart's MHPArena. 'There will be a chance to give game time to certain players. After all, it is an international encounter, against Germany and we will be doing our best to win. 'Once the players are on the pitch, they will all want to give their all to win. It will be an opportunity for me and my staff to take certain things into consideration.' Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe is again expected to be deployed in the number nine role. With Paris St Germain frontman Dembele unavailable, the spotlight will again be on the 26-year-old to lead by example. 'Being a number nine at club level and international level isn't the same thing. I think it's a domain in which I have improved, because it's not necessarily a position I've played in before,' Mbappe said. 'Everything in football is a little unpredictable - I am trying to equip myself with the best tools possible to play in this position.' Mbappe feels France have enough strength in depth to test Germany, who were edged out by Portugal in their semi-final. 'This is a new side and there are a lot of players with less than 30 caps. It is a team that we are having to reconstruct,' he said. 'It is a team that has to create its own reputation. It can't ride on the reputation of teams that have gone before us, that is where the challenge is. 'There is a lot of talent in this team and we can achieve great things. 'We have to continue working as hard as possible to arrive at that World Cup with as much conviction as possible.'
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
France boss threatens to drop Premier League target amid £25m transfer talks
France face Germany in the Nations League third-place play-off on Sunday, with boss Didier Deschamps ready to take drastic action as Chelsea pursue one of his key players France head coach Didier Deschamps has threatened to drop Mike Maignan from his team for Sunday's Nations League game against Germany. Les Bleus will face the hosts in a third-place play-off. They lost a thrilling semi-final 5-4 to Spain on Thursday night, with Maignan starting between the sticks. He has emerged as France's first-choice keeper since Hugo Lloris retired after the 2022 World Cup. Maignan has impressed at club level as well, winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille in 2021 which earned him a move to AC Milan. The 29-year-old helped the Rossoneri to win the Serie A title in his first year at the club. He has since gone on to become captain of the Italian giants, but his future at the San Siro is in doubt. Chelsea have grown interested in signing the keeper as they look to replace David Sanchez. The Blues saw an opening offer below £15million rejected this week, with Milan demanding a fee in the region of £25m. A final bid is expected to be made in the coming days, though first comes France's clash with Germany. Amid the speculation around his future, his form has suffered a downturn. And that has led Deschamps to suggest that he could drop Maignan in favour of the uncapped Lucas Chevalier or former Nottingham Forest star Brice Samba on Sunday. "Changing goalkeepers? We'll see. We'll see how Mike is, how he feels. It's still possible. No decision has been made yet, it's been a while," Deschamps said ahead of the third-place play-off in Stuttgart. "Obviously, that could also be the case regarding the goalkeeper position. Whether Mike needs a break or not... I don't have those details yet." Thursday's defeat to Spain was a frustrating one, with France at one stage losing 4-0 before a late comeback. The loss raised the pressure on Deschamps after a difficult Euro 2024 campaign, and the boss has admitted that changes are coming for Sunday. "I won't hide from you that the interest is still relative. This match is there, we're going to play it... It's Germany. It will be useful, but taking into account the very specific situation," he added. "Is the match at stake minimal? You said so. Some players aren't in the best shape. We have too little time between the two matches. There will be a lot of changes. I work according to the players. "Some have very interesting potential. They won't all be able to play. I've never deprived myself of attacking players. We had a lot of chances against Spain, but we also conceded five goals. It's a question of balance. "They're mostly young players. I'm not going to complain about having a lot of attacking players. It needs confirmation. They won't all be able to play at the same time, but it's very interesting for me." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Toothless cat has ‘grumpy grandpa face' that hides a soft side. He needs a home
A toothless cat has a 'grumpy grandpa face' — but don't let it fool you. 'Sure, he looks like he's about to yell at you for stepping on his lawn… but the truth? He's a total marshmallow. The kind that melts in your hands,' a North Carolina shelter wrote June 3 on Facebook. 'We could barely snap a photo — Archie kept smushing into us, climbing into arms like he'd been waiting a lifetime to be held.' Archie needs a home after he landed at the Watauga Humane Society on April 1. 'It felt like the universe's idea of a twisted joke,' the shelter wrote. 'No, not him — he's no prank — but the timing? Classic April Fools. Because the moment he shuffled in, toothless and opinionated, we figured we had a spicy senior on our hands.' Archie is a 9-year-old cat who once lived as a stray and was adopted. He lived in the home for about two years but struggled around his owners' dogs. So, he often retreated to an isolated spot until his family made the 'difficult decision' to give him up, Danielle Deschamps, communications coordinator for the shelter, told McClatchy News via email. The shelter doesn't know how Archie lost his teeth but said he likely didn't receive adequate dental care earlier in life. Despite his 'cranky' looks, he has been working to trust people. 'We were told he was extremely skittish and spent much of his time hiding,' wrote Deschamps, who shared pictures of Archie sprawled out on the floor. 'But as you can see in the photos — he's coming out of his shell beautifully. He's shown us a softer, more social side that didn't have a chance to shine in his previous environment.' As of June 5, the shelter's website listed Archie among the cats up for adoption. Details about the animal organization's adoption process can be found at 'We're hopeful his perfect person is out there — someone who will appreciate his quiet strength and give him the peaceful home he's always needed,' Deschamps wrote. The humane society is in the mountain town of Boone, a roughly 85-mile drive west from Winston-Salem.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Deschamps counting on PSG players and backing Dembele for Ballon d'Or
STUTTGART: 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 today'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 per cent, 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 La Liga 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
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Deschamps Backs Dembele, Readies for Spain Semi-Final
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.
