D-7 before the start of the World Cup in Qatar. The big world rout is approaching but most players must first negotiate a final weekend of club competition before turning to the Gulf emirate. Several of the 25 players selected by Didier Deschamps were on European lawns this weekend. Here is everything you need to know about their performances, their playing times or their possible physical glitches.
They played :
William Saliba, winner and top of the Premier League. He has established himself as the boss of Arsenal’s defense this season and was again calm this Saturday on the lawn of Wolverhampton. The Gunners win 2-0, consolidate their leading position (5 points ahead of Manchester City who were beaten), and the former Marseille player played the 90 minutes without showing any visible sign of fatigue.
Hugo Lloris, a success but three goals conceded. The Tottenham goalkeeper and captain of the Blues started well this Saturday against Leeds and his team ended this first part of the season with a victory (4-3). A success with a slightly bitter taste for the former Lyonnais who had to get the ball in the back of his net three times.
Christopher Nkunku, holder and victorious with Leipzig. On the move on the lawn of Werder Bremen this Saturday, RB Leipzig left northern Germany with the three points of victory (1-2). The home striker, Christopher Nkunku, started well and played the entire game. If he did not find the net this time, he still concluded this first part of the season with 12 goals in 15 Bundesliga games.
The French from Bayern, without shaking. On the lawn of the Bundesliga red lantern, Schalke 04, Bayern Munich and their tricolor colony won without firing a shot (0-2). Dayot Upamecano, Benjamin Pavard, Kingsley Coman et Lucas Hernandez were all lined up in Julian Nagelsmann’s starting XI. The first two played the 90 minutes while Coman and Hernandez had to settle for 80 and 72 minutes of play. No physical glitch is to be noted.
They did not play:
The French in La Liga have already closed shop. No match in Spain this weekend since the last day of La Liga before the truce took place in the middle of the week. Karim Benzema, Aurelien Tchouameni et Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid) were therefore able to benefit from a few additional days of rest, just like Jules Kounde et Ousmane Dembele (FC Barcelona). Visiting Lyon on Friday evening, the Ballon d’Or assured that he would be physically ready after experiencing some muscle problems in a thigh in recent weeks.
Alphonse Areola, still confined to the bench at West Ham. The former PSG goalkeeper has still not had any tenure this season in the Premier League with the London club. This Saturday, it was from the sidelines that he witnessed his team’s defeat (0-2) against Leicester. Since the start of the year, he has still played 11 games in all competitions thanks to the Europa League Conference.
The little warning:
Ibrahima Konaté, absent from the match sheet with Liverpool. The Reds defender suffered a blow during warm-up and had to forfeit the match against Southampton on Saturday. A priori, nothing to threaten his presence in Qatar. “I don’t think it’s serious,” said his coach Jürgen Klopp to Sky Sport.