This Thursday, the French national team will face Italy in the Nations League at 8:45 PM CET at the San Siro stadium. The match will feature two players from Paris Saint-Germain—both French: Warren Zaïre-Emery (a 20-year-old midfielder) and Désiré Doué (a 21-year-old midfielder/forward). L’Équipe reports the following lineup:
Doué – Mbappé – Olise
Rabiot – Da Cunha – Cherki
Truffert – Upamecano – Konaté – Gusto
Maignan
This is a highly plausible lineup, given the recent matches and the players currently available. While the absences limit the options, they also add a touch of suspense. It is reasonable to assume that the starting XI for Les Bleus will be, at the very least, close to the one proposed here—though changes remain possible, as nothing has been made official. One would certainly expect to see Doué in the starting lineup, following his recent performances for PSG, which have built upon his excellent showing during the September international break.
Zaïre-Emery was dealing with an injury and was unable to truly distinguish himself during the last international gathering. However, his performances in Paris make a strong case for his inclusion; it cannot be ruled out that he might start, and he should, at the very least, see some playing time. Some have suggested he could feature as a right-back, but nothing is set in stone.
