Zinédine Zidane considers recall of France core to face Italy | OneFootball

Zinédine Zidane rotated in Brussels, leaving his core fresh for Italy at the Stade de France on Friday at 20:45, his first home game in charge.

He changed nine of the 10 outfield players between the 1-0 win in Türkiye on Friday and the 1-0 victory in Belgium on Monday, a move that, according to L'Équipe, underlined the importance he places on his debut in Izmit and this Stade de France date.

The squad had Tuesday off before reconvening at Clairefontaine for dinner.

All 22 players were available on Wednesday for a one-hour closed session late afternoon in Yvelines, focused on tactical patterns and technical drills introduced since last week.

With four matches in 11 days, there is little time to refine plans. Zidane will use Thursday’s pitch session at the Stade de France, though Brussels showed the eve workout may not mirror the next day’s XI.

He has little reason to alter his 4-3-3, which clicked even better in Belgium. Monday’s entrants Ousmane Dembélé, Rayan Cherki, Michael Olise and Manu Koné are best placed to reclaim starts.

Often an eight or part of a double pivot at the last World Cup, Koné operated as the holding midfielder on Friday and enjoyed it. The AS Rome player, competing with Lucas Da Cunha, said he is comfortable in different roles, likes to break forward and adapts to the team, adding the coach is pleased with how quickly ideas have been applied.

Selection calls remain. Zidane could revert to the Türkiye lineup with Désiré Doué for the injured Kylian Mbappé, or reward those who shone in Brussels, with Jérémy Jacquet a candidate to replace Maxence Lacroix, the only outfield starter in both games alongside Mike Maignan.

Source: L'Équipe

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