Bayern Munich: French contingent shine against Kazakhstan
The ongoing international break has been positive for Bayern Munich players. After the exploits from Robert Lewandowski for Poland and the German contingent’s excellent performance against Liechtenstein, the French players from Die Roten’s squad also enjoyed a good evening on Saturday.
The defending World Champions sealed their place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a dominating 8-0 win against Kazakhstan. France is one of the first few nations to book a place in the next year’s showpiece event in Qatar.
Didier Deschamps handed starts to three Bayern players against Kazakhstan. In the absence of Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano started in the heart of the defense. Upamecano started in the middle of back three. Meanwhile, Lucas Hernandez operated as left-sided center-back for France on Saturday.
Upamecano endured a difficult time for France in the previous international break. He recovered from those couple of shaky performances to deliver a solid performance on Saturday. Yes, the opposition was much weaker, but getting good performances under his belt is necessary to cement a place in the French squad.
On the other hand, Hernandez also had a flawless night. The 25-year-old central defender boasted 98% passing accuracy during his 70-minute stay on the pitch. Die Roten’s defense has been under the spotlight in the last few weeks, so it is good to see Hernandez and Upamecano having a good outing with France.
The most interesting aspect of Deschamps’ team selection on Saturday was the use of Kingsley Coman in the wing-back role. The French winger seamlessly slotted on the right wing-back role against Kazakhstan.
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Coman was a menace on the right flank as he held the width for France. He had two assists to his name in 79 minutes. Along with being a threat in the final third, Coman was also very secure in possession as he had a pass accuracy of 96%. It will not be a surprise if Deschamps keeps using him in this role due to his work rate and efficiency in the final third. (Stats courtesy: Fotmob)
Apart from these three players, Benjamin Pavard also got game time for France on Saturday. The French defender came on in the 79th minute when the game was done and dusted. The Bavarian faithful will be hoping their French players take confidence from this result and go on a long run of good form after the international break.