France train with 20 players at Clairefontaine ahead of friendly
Les Bleus held an intense training session on Monday, missing only the Champions League finalists ahead of Thursday's match.
The French national team continues its preparations for the upcoming friendly match against Ivory Coast, scheduled for Thursday in Nantes. On Monday afternoon, 20 players took part in a training session at Clairefontaine, with the six players involved in the Champions League final yet to join the squad.
Following a standard warm-up, Didier Deschamps' players engaged in a ten-versus-ten practice match. The session was played at high intensity, with players showing their competitive edge through frequent debates over refereeing decisions.
The teams were mixed for the practice match. The side featuring Michael Olise, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Rayan Cherki eventually overcame the team led by Kylian Mbappe, Adrien Rabiot, and Ibrahima Konate, thanks to a brace from Marcus Thuram.
While the Champions League finalists are expected to arrive this Tuesday, uncertainty remains regarding the fitness of William Saliba, who is dealing with a back issue. The squad is scheduled to have lunch with President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday before holding a closed-door training session at 5:00 PM.