In what was the third in a series of pre-World Cup press conferences, Hugo Lloris and Didier Deschamps took some time to speak to the press and tackled topics ranging from the Brazuca ball to Franck Ribery’s injury situation.
Hugo Lloris:
On Ribery: ‘It’s a tricky situation for Ribery because he’s such a competitor. We’ve got to try to put it into perspective – he has to be patient and things will get sorted out.’
On missing the Norway match: ‘I didn’t play against Norway so that Stephane Ruffier could get some playing time.’
On returning to Nice for the Paraguay match: ‘It’s really nice to be back home but right now I’m totally focused on my performance.’
On France’s upcoming matches: ‘These friendlies are designed to prepare us for our games at the World Cup. We have to work hard tomorrow [against Paraguay].
On the World Cup ball: ‘It’s a good ball compared to the 2010 World Cup ball but it’s still unpredictable every now and again.’
On Sakho: ‘Sakho did himself proud with the captain’s armband. He’s a born leader, a real competitor.’
Didier Deschamps:
On Ribery’s injury: ‘Ribery’s situation is simple, he’s had a problem with his back for a few months now. Our aim is to get him back on the pitch feeling more comfortable than he has in recent weeks with Bayern.’
‘He’s desperate to play. He could [play tomorrow] if need be but we want him to be fully ready. It’s a case of managing Ribery’s situation just like Ronaldo and Pepe for Portugal.’
‘We want to get Ribery ready to play against Jamaica. Before the Norway match he warmed up for fifteen minutes but there was no sprinting or shooting involved.’
‘We’re doing everything we can to get him back out there in the best condition possible. He’s not resting, there’s plenty of treatment and exercises going on at the moment to get him into top physical shape.’
‘I have until 24 hours before our first game to replace Franck but I’m not thinking about it at the moment.’
On the team for the Paraguay match: ‘Tomorrow, Franck [Ribery] won’t be playing and neither will Benzema or Varane. Those three won’t be at Clairefontaine at the start of the week either, they’ll be with their families like the other players were.’
‘I’ll stick to my plan, I intend to make six changes to share the playing time. There’s an internal process that we follow regarding the first-team players.’
‘The midfield three could all start but I might rotate them too.’
On the feeling within the squad: ‘The enthusiasm in the squad is great to see. There’s a great sense of morale among the players but there’s still work to do. I’d like all of my players to take part in sessions but I’m not going to take any risks.’
On Benzema and Varane: ‘Benzema wasn’t at 100% when he arrived. Varane is alright but he still played 120 minutes last Saturday.’
On Paraguay: ‘Paraguay had a tough time in qualifying, the coach brought in lots of new players. South American sides have it all though, they’re combative and have tons of technical ability to go with their temperament.’
On Griezmann: ‘Ribery is Ribery but Antoine offers certain other qualities. Antoine posed some interesting questions in the last match but I have some further options too.’
On his coaching style: ‘I give my attackers lots of freedom. I don’t want them to play in a set position as that makes it easier for the opposition.’
J.L.
