France-Scotland: “Mbappé was radiant, like the French team in these two matches” rejoices Didier Deschamps

2023-10-18 01:03:31

Two matches, two victories, one qualifying for Euro 2024 against the Netherlands (1-2), the other for butter against Scotland (4-1). Didier Deschamps’ Blues took advantage of this international break to build up their confidence. Enough to delight the national coach, at a press conference this Tuesday at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium.

Two good matches, two victories, is this a perfect match?

DIDIER DESCHAMPS. Very good. The most important match was Friday. We showed desire and qualities against Scotland. We create chances, we score goals against an opponent who knows how to defend. It’s a very good course, spreading out playing time and maintaining high standards.

Benjamin Pavard often scores, is this another asset for the Blues?

He scores important goals. This is a plus in his register. He formed a very good partnership with Ibou Konaté in a role that suits him better. I talked about it with him at the start of the rally. He doesn’t have confidence on the side. He was also at home here in Lille where he started. But in the axis, there is a lot of competition. I remember these two goals but also his attitude as a central defender.

Will the composition of the central hinge become a headache with Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez?

I’ve always had headaches. There is competition. I’m not going to complain about that. They know that. They realize, they don’t need to read you to know. When they have playing time, they have an interest in performing well in the future.

“The Scottish coach said to me after the match: It’s going quickly in front of you! »

Can Kingsley Coman’s very good entry and his goal free him?

He’s done a lot of good things already. If he adds the goal, it will improve what he does. He’s been there since 2016. He has everything. There is Ousmane (Dembélé) too. One can start, the other can replace him. For the defender opposite, it’s not easy. The Scottish coach said to me after the match: “It’s going quickly in front of you! » It’s hard to last 90 minutes to put in the effort for both because they repeat the races and the sprints.

Did you feel Camavinga touched by his blunder?

He makes a big mistake and takes time to get over it. Our goals freed him, after his mistake which conditioned him. He reacted well and in the second half too.

Is it a sanction to have left Jean-Clair Todibo on the bench after his nervous laughter during the minute of silence in the Netherlands?

There is no punishment from me. I could have brought him in but I took another option, that of making Castello Lukeba an International. It is not a sanction. When in doubt, it is better to avoid whistles from two or three people for Jean-Clair in an evening like this. But above all I wanted to make Castello an International.

Is this a very good international sequence for Kylian Mbappé, with three goals and an assist?

He is very involved. You were worried, not me. He behaved like a true captain on and off the field. He made a lot of effort, especially defensively. He needs this freedom that I give him. He was radiant like the French team in these two matches.