France coach Didier Deschamps knows most neutrals want Argentina to win the World Cup final to give Lionel Messi the perfect send-off from soccer's biggest tournament. (More Football News)
In fact, Deschamps even believes some people in France hope that happens, too.
바카라I'm fine being alone in the world 바카라 that doesn't bother me,바카라 he said with a smile.
It feels like Deschamps and his France team have been up against it throughout the tournament.
The World Cup started for France with a deluge of injuries, with Karim Benzema, Christopher Nkunku and Presnel Kimpembe getting ruled out to join Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante on the sidelines.
It is finishing with France's squad being further weakened by a virus that led to defender Dayot Upamecano and midfielder Adrien Rabiot missing the win over Morocco in the semifinals. Three more players 바카라 center backs Raphael Varane and Ibrahima KonatĂ© and winger Kingsley Coman 바카라 were absent from training on Friday, two days before the final.
Deschamps is taking it all in his stride.
바카라We are doing our best to take precautions and adapt as necessary,바카라 he said Saturday in his eve-of-final news conference. 바카라We are trying to live with it, without getting too far, getting too carried away. We're just doing what is necessary.바카라
That could easily describe France's path to the final.
In both the quarterfinals against England and the semifinals against Morocco, the French have come out strong to take a first-half lead and then been content to soak up pressure and play on the counterattack 바카라 a tactic that worked four years ago on the country's run to the World Cup title.
Can that also work against Argentina, with Messi in such scintillating form?
바카라Things always happen in a match for which you are not prepared,바카라 said France captain Hugo Lloris, who is looking to become the first man to captain a team to the World Cup title twice. "That is where you need to show a good team spirit and you also need to have that feeling of pulling out all the stops and digging deep in those tough moments.
바카라We are good as a team because we know how to adapt to different scenarios."
What France knows is that Messi will be the fulcrum of everything Argentina does on his mission to win the only big title that has eluded him in soccer.
Lloris, however, said it would be dangerous for his team to just think about Messi.
바카라I believe the event is too massive to just focus on one player,바카라 the goalkeeper said.Â
"It is a final between two big football nations. Obviously when you face that type of player, you need a special focus on him, but it's not only about him.
바카라Argentina is a strong team and there are a lot of other players 바카라 a young generation coming through 바카라 and you can feel they are all dedicated to Leo Messi.바카라
Deschamps did not disclose if any players laid low by the virus would miss the final, saying he would know more later Saturday when the team trained. Upamecano and Rabiot were back in training on Friday.
One player who definitely won't be involved in Sunday's title match is Benzema, who tore a muscle in his left thigh during training the day before the World Cup started.
Benzema, the reigning world player of the year, has returned to training with Real Madrid even though he's still registered in France's squad.
Deschamps does not want to talk anymore about the striker.
바카라Since the beginning of the World Cup, he has been injured and (left back) Lucas Hernandez got injured in the first game,바카라 Deschamps said. "From that point onward, I have 24 players in my squad.
바카라You know who those players are. They are the players at my disposal and I don't think it's fair to those players to ask about players who aren't here.바카라
Benzema took to Instagram late Friday and posted a picture of himself next to the words: 바카라I'm not interested.바카라 It wasn't immediately obvious what the context was around his post
