Didier Deschamps still seeking Barcola alternative and clarity at left flank before World Cup | OneFootball

Less than three months before the World Cup, France still do not have a settled left flank. They have used five different pairings in the last five games amid rotation and injuries, and Bradley Barcola’s ankle problem removes the obvious option.

According to L'Équipe, Didier Deschamps will again look for partnerships built around Lucas Digne or Theo Hernandez at left-back. He often adapts during tournaments, but a defined duo would help.

Lucas Digne’s recent France displays have been steady. Reduced minutes at Aston Villa had revived his World Cup fears, but starting three of the last four league games has reassured him and the staff.

Theo Hernandez, now at Al-Hilal in the Saudi top flight, is managing family distance after his family returned to Europe. He has been consistent, yet doubts remain over lapses without the ball and his athletic reserves after a disappointing lack of freshness at the German Euro.

Depending on the winger’s profile, Lucas Hernandez is also an option on the left, and the Parisian has looked sharper in recent weeks.

Beyond Kylian Mbappé, expected to play centrally, and Adrien Rabiot as a choice, four squad members can operate wide left, though none is a specialist, Désiré Doué, Hugo Ekitike, Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani. Doué is gifted but defensively raw, Ekitike, the Liverpool forward, is managing hip pain after a dead leg, Thuram has not played the role regularly for more than three years, and Kolo Muani has featured there for Tottenham this season.

Source: L'Équipe