Paris (AFP)
France, the world champion, begins the campaign to defend its title in the European Nations League in football, when it meets its guest, Denmark, on Friday in the first round of Group A, in a rehearsal for their confrontation in the 2022 World Cup.
After facing Denmark, the “blue” will defeat Croatia and then Austria on the 6th and 10th of this month, and then host Croatia on the 13th in the first level.
At a time when coach Didier Deschamps’ players are preparing to defend their title in the World Cup, they also have the task of defending the Nations League title, after they won the second edition title last October, by defeating Spain in the final 2-1 at the San Siro stadium in Milan.
The veteran striker Karim Benzema, the most prominent candidate to win the Golden Ball for the best player in the world for the first time in his career, will be under the microscope and the eyes of critics, specifically his attacking partnership with Kylian Mbappe, the “explosive” star of Paris Saint-Germain, who preferred to stay with the Parisian club until 2025, refusing to Real Madrid Show.
Benzema returned to group training on Wednesday after winning the Champions League, and he may participate alongside Mbappe, knowing that they scored 14 of France’s 26 goals this season.
It will be the 17th confrontation between the two teams, as France won 8, Denmark 6 and drew twice.
It is noteworthy that the two teams will meet in the World Cup next Saturday, November 26, at Stadium 974 in Doha, after they fell in one group in the 2022 World Cup alongside Tunisia, and the winner between Peru, Australia and the Emirates.
The match will be held at the Stade de France in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, which witnessed great chaos that resulted in political repercussions between France and England, last Saturday, before the start of the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
In the same group, Croatia, runner-up for France in the 2018 World Cup, will receive Austria in Osijek.
In contrast to Austria, which was eliminated from the semi-finals of the continental play-off against Wales, Croatia is competing in the World Cup finals in one group with Belgium, Canada and Morocco.
The fourth group of the first level is witnessing a fiery confrontation between Belgium and its guest the Netherlands. The group witnessed Poland’s 2-1 victory over Wales on Wednesday.
Belgium misses goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the star of the Champions League final, when he nullified Liverpool’s attacks in Paris, due to a hamstring injury that will keep him out of the next four matches for the Red Devils.
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