World champions France have released their squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Albania and Andorra. Despite several key players like Kylian Mbappe and N’Golo Kante injured and others like Samuel Umtiti and Alexandre Lacazette not chosen, this still remains a strong French squad.
Ligue 1 returns tonight (and so does the Premier League across the Channel!) as Monaco host Olympique Lyonnais. The result of this game however isn’t as predictable as Liverpool v Norwich, where the only question appears to be the margin that the Reds will win by. ASM have won their last two league games at home against OL 2-0 and 3-2 respectively.
Monaco had a better pre-season than Lyon- ASM beat the likes of Valencia, Porto and Sampdoria, while OL had to be content with their Emirates Cup win over Arsenal.
Here are the predicted lineups for the game as per the French press (4-3-3 on both sides)
PSG will look to add yet another French Super Cup title to their cabinet when they take on Rennes in China today afternoon.
Paris SG have won the last six French Super Cups but will be without the suspended duo of Neymar and Julian Draxler.
Here is how the French media expect Thomas Tuchel’s men to line up today- a 4-3-3 with Mbappe, Cavani & Sarabia upfront, and a midfield trio of Herrera, Marquinhos & Verratti.
Days after upsetting Arsenal in the Emirates Cup, Olympique Lyonnais weren’t quite able to do the same to reigning European champions Liverpool as they were beaten 3-1 in the Swiss city of Geneva. The fixture was Liverpool’s final pre-season one and the victory was a timely one for the Reds after failures to beat Sevilla, Sporting and Napoli.
Jurgen Klopp, with one eye on the Charity Shield fixture against Man City, chose to call up many of his big names- the likes of Alisson, Firmino, Salah, Shaqiri and Keita were all taking the pitch for the first time this season. There were plenty of changes in the OL lineup as well, with Sylvinho shuffling his troops.
Alisson, fresh from a Copa victory with Brazil, had the worst possible start to the game as he dropped an easy cross and fouled Dembele, allowing Memphis to put OL ahead from the spot in the 4th minute.
After soaking up an early spell of pressure, Liverpool were able to draw level when Roberto Firmino fired home in the 17th minute. There was perhaps an element of luck in the way the ball fell to the Brazilian, but his finish was top class.
Joachim Andersen’s unfortunate own goal four minutes later (bizarrely under no pressure at all), saw Lyon fall behind. Harry Wilson, whose exploits with Derby endeared him to many a Reds fan, sealed the deal with an absolute stunner eight minutes after the interval.
France coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that Ferland Mendy is on the verge of a switch to Real Madrid. Speaking in his pre-match press conference before the Andorra game, the Les Bleus gaffer lavished praise on the OL full back saying that he “had been in Ligue 2 two seasons ago and is now going to play at Real Madrid”.
From the original French words spoken by Deschamps
Il a une progression fulgurante, il était en Ligue 2 il y a deux ans et il va se retrouver au Real Madrid.
Mendy, who enjoyed a great campaign with Lyon, has already undergone a medical with Real, who seem to be busy in the current transfer market in order to make up for their disastrous season.
The 24 year old is expected to be one of the changes Deschamps will ring in for their European qualifier away in Andorra. He played the second half of France’s 2-0 loss to Turkey, replacing Lucas Digne at half time.
