Press review: France v Azerbaijan, big expectations for the U21s | OneFootball

This Thursday, October 2, the French press (on the sports aspect) focused on Paris Saint-Germain, although not directly, even if the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé (28-year-old forward) moved Dayot Upamecano, the 26-year-old defender from Bayern Munich and the French National Team. The main focus is on the latter, as they face Azerbaijan tonight as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Le Parisien –

L’Equipe –

Of course, France is a strong favorite against Azerbaijan. It is a team to be respected, but much more modest than the Bleus, where almost all players are in major European clubs. However, this does not provide any real advantage in the match. There is no head start or gift.

It is up to the Bleus to set the pace and focus in order to win. And to build confidence, a victory with style would be needed. For now, the two Parisians in the squad, Lucas Chevalier (23-year-old goalkeeper) and Lucas Hernandez (29-year-old defender), are not expected to start. The latter might come on during the match. An injury to Maignan would be necessary for Chevalier to participate.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.