| France vs Greece | |
| MATCH INFO | |
MATCH :
| France vs Greece |
COMPETITION :
| UEFA Euro Qualifiers |
| DATE: | 19-06-2023 |
TIME:
| 12.15 AM IST (UTC +5:30)
10.45 PM UAE |
STADIUM
| Ground |
Samba's France Debut Amidst Maignan's Injury Woes
In a surprising turn of events, Lens goalkeeper Samba made his senior debut for the French national team on Friday, replacing the injured Mike Maignan from AC Milan. Maignan had suffered a calf injury during training, leaving doubts about his availability for the upcoming match.
Samba's impressive performance should boost his confidence as he looks to secure the goalkeeper position. France manager Didier Deschamps faced additional setbacks with injuries to Ferland Mendy and Adrien Rabiot before the Gibraltar match. Nevertheless, Les Bleus emerged unscathed, securing a convincing three-goal victory.
Another standout player from the previous game was Chelsea's Wesley Fofana, who earned his maiden cap for France. Fofana's strong showing may provide enough reason to keep Dayot Upamecano out of the starting lineup. However, Deschamps also has the option of utilizing Jules Kounde on the right side, potentially replacing Benjamin Pavard.
Meanwhile, Greece midfielder Petros Mantalos was substituted due to an unspecified injury in their win over Ireland. The severity of Mantalos' condition is currently unknown, leaving some uncertainty surrounding his availability.
In Greece's midfield, there are additional concerns as Andreas Bouchalakis missed the previous match, adding to the team's engine room troubles. Furthermore, Dimitris Giannoulis, the left-back from Norwich City, was notably absent from the successful encounter. Manager Poyet will be hoping to avoid any further setbacks in these key areas of the team.