France manager Didier Deschamps has sent a warning to players like Raphael Varane ahead of the World Cup.
Varane hobbled off the pitch early in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea last week and got emotional due to fears over missing out on the World Cup in Qatar next month.
It is touch and go whether he will feature in Qatar with Deschamps issuing his stance on brining injured players in his squad. As you can imagine, he is completely against the idea.
Deschamps said (via The Sun): “It’s clear and clean. That I said. I’ve never embarked with an injured player for a big competition.
“The only thing that is certain is that I will not take a player who is not able to play at the start of the competition. Then it’s on a case-by-case basis.
“But leaving on a big competition with players who are not suitable, already it occupies too much attention, and for those who have to play, it also monopolizes the medical staff.
“Me, I consider that we must leave with valid and capable players.”
Deschamps went on to speak about two players who are in a race against time to prove their fitness – Varane and Pogba.
He added: “For Paul (Pogba), that he has playing time before the competition, as much as possible, I say yes, because he is in deficit compared to the others.
“For Raphaël (Varane), it is less problematic in this aspect, because it is a muscle injury.”
Of course, France are not the only nation going into the World Cup with question marks over some of their biggest stars. It was always going to happen when the domestic leagues were being forced to congest their fixtures.
Varane still stands a very good chance at getting a call up.
