France Team News: William Saliba earns call-up, Malo Gusto gets axed

France have announced their squad for the friendly against Germany on March 24th at Groupama Stadium in the last week of the month. Malo Gusto, Bradley Barcola and Axel Disasi are out of the squad. 

Arsenal’s William Saliba is also called to join Les Bleus after his latest outing with the national team came in November last year. The centre back has been an important part of Mikel Arteta’s tactic this season, bringing The Gunners to sit at the top of the league before the international break. 

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France Team News: Didier Deschamps gives William Saliba another shot

France manager Didier Deschamps gives another chance for Saliba after criticising him in November. The 1998 World Cup winner said Saliba has not shown the quality as he was playing at the club level.

“He is performing well for his club,” Deschamps said via Mirror. “At international level, he hasn’t always found himself in the best conditions in matches where I’ve rotated a lot.”

Mousa Diaby has returned to another France call-up, having played the last time for France in March last year. He scored six goals for Aston Villa so far, four of them came in the Premier League. Thanks to Diaby’s consistency, The Villans are fighting for the Champions League zone, two points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur at the fifth. 

This will be the 34th meeting between France and Germany at the international stage. Les Bleus won more than the German with 15 to 11. Antoine Griezmann is the player who scored the most when both nations square-off with five goals. The Atletico Madrid’s striker is also part of the called up names this time. 

Both France and Germany have beaten each other in the last two encounters. Die Mannschaft won the latest in a friendly last September. Two years prior, it was France who won the match-up in the Group F of EURO 2020.

In the EURO 2024, France will be in the same group with the 1988 champions Netherland and 2008 host Austria. Deschamps is motivated with the drawing result which puts his team with one of the strongest contenders in the tournament. 

“It’s a strong draw overall but it could hardly be otherwise, given the quality of the qualified teams. There is such a density in Europe, the manner of the draw could only give us groups of a high or very high standard, since the final group position in qualifying was preferred to the FIFA rankings.” 

France squad list for a friendly match against Germany

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Aréola (West Ham United/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)

Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Lucas Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Koundé (Barcelona/ESP), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan/ITA), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)

Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Youssouf Fofana (Monaco), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus/ITA), Aurelien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)Forwards: Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa/ENG), Olivier Giroud (AC Milan/ITA), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Randal Kolo Muani, Kylian Mbappé (both Paris Saint-Germain), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA)