We won’t lie to you, dear readers: the presence of Kylian Mbappé on the same pitch as Samuel Piette or Mathieu Choinière was one of the main elements of our sales pitch to our employer when we were extolling the merits of this trip to Bordeaux. So, will the new Real Madrid player, world champion in 2018 and finalist in 2022, one of the biggest stars in the sporting world, play in Bordeaux on Sunday?
Let’s trust the Sud-Ouest newspaper, daily newspaper in this region of France, on this subject: after playing the entire match against Luxembourg on Wednesday, Mbappé “should play 90 minutes again to continue to fill up and regain his sensations positive”. This is what journalist Nicolas Le Gardien writes, who cites this need for regularity before the Euro and after a complicated season with PSG. This is because due to the negotiations leading to his transfer to Madrid, Mbappé had to be satisfied with more limited playing time than usual in Paris.
This is good news for the show at the Matmut Atlantique stadium. Perhaps a little less for the Canadian ramparts who will have to find a way to defend against the French talisman… without forgetting Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Marcus Thuram and other big stars of the Blues.
How confident is Canada facing this second world power? The Maple Leaf (49th in the FIFA rankings) is coming off a 4-0 defeat against the Netherlands last Thursday. Morale could, we agree, be low. But on the contrary, the Canadians played a very encouraging 0-0 first half… before seeing the Dutch come out of the pits with as much velocity as their compatriot Max Verstappen, in the second period.
Let’s also remember that this was the very first match for new coach Jesse Marsch at the helm. The Canadian players had only four days of preparation with the national team before facing their counterparts from the Netherlands, known for their organization and their well-defined style of play.
Needless to say, expectations must be moderated in the face of a France ready to confirm its status as favorite for a Euro that it wants to win. Yes, here in France, we see Canada as a “slightly” tougher opponent than Luxembourg, defeated 3-0 by the Blues on Wednesday.
The Reds must avoid humiliation. A tough defeat would clearly dampen his confidence before the Copa.
“We must respect them, but not let them push us around,” summed up Quebecer Moïse Bombito, speaking of the French after Thursday’s match.
Jesse Marsch has confirmed that there will be changes to his XI after the clash against the Netherlands. If we read between the lines, we can assume that Maxime Crépeau could find the net again after ceding it to an imperfect Dayne St. Clair on Thursday. An important battle is brewing there.
Bombito got the start on defense two days ago, and didn’t look bad, at least before the Dutch avalanche in the second period. Ismaël Koné also held his end of the stick well in midfield, as number 8. Samuel Piette and Mathieu Choinière came on in the second half when the match was already over. Will we see the two representatives of CF Montreal on Marsch’s eleven on Sunday? It would be risky to change too many markers at the same time, especially in front of such a dangerous opponent at home. That said, it is still time for experimentation for the coach.
“We are going to rotate the captain,” confirmed Jesse Marsch on Thursday evening in Rotterdam. So, after wearing the armband, Alphonso Davies might have to give it again, at least temporarily. In this regard, Mauro Biello, when he was interim coach, preferred Stephen Eustáquio to the best player in Canada’s history for the play-off match against Trinidad and Tobago last March.
Eustáquio was one of the best Canadian players against the Netherlands, despite the circumstances. He would be the first candidate, after Davies, for the captaincy.
The other question affecting Phonzie concerns his position on the field. The Canadian gem is recognized as one of the best left-backs in the world, a position he has held with Bayern Munich since his transfer from Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019. Under John Herdman in red, Davies had the luxury of playing a little everywhere at the front, abandoning his usual club lookout.
Marsch – finally – made the decision to reposition him as a left piston. His speed in the lane can be used for both offensive breakthroughs and defensive retreats. The American coach’s style of play, focused on high pressure on the pitch and speed of execution in transition, could thus benefit a Davies who is always ready to race on his side.
A Davies who, in addition, is at the heart of rumors sending him to Real Madrid this summer. What better showcase than to try to shine in front of a potential future teammate?
