Zinedine Zidane faces a defensive injury crisis as he prepares to name his next France squad this Friday. The manager will be without several key defenders ahead of the away fixture against Italy on November 12.

"Zinedine Zidane will have to deal with the absence of several key players," he said. The most significant loss is William Saliba, who is unavailable for several weeks. Maxence Lacroix, who suffered a hamstring tear in a League Cup match against Liverpool, will also be out until the end of the year. He had replaced Saliba in the 2022 World Cup semi-final against Spain.

Defensive uncertainties

This defensive emergency forces Zidane to reconsider his options. Dayot Upamecano, Jeremy Jacquet and Ibrahima Konate are likely to occupy three of the four centre-back spots. For the fourth, Leny Yoro, Lucas Hernandez and Wesley Fofana are in contention. At right-back, the situation is equally complicated. Jules Kounde is a doubt with an ankle sprain, and Benjamin Pavard is injured. Pierre Kalulu could replace him, while Malo Gusto is not playing at Chelsea. Jonathan Clauss, aged 34, reportedly does not meet the manager's criteria despite his good form at Nice.

Midfield reinforcements

The midfield, however, should see the return of experienced players. Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery and Adrien Rabiot are expected in the group. Eduardo Camavinga and Lucas Da Cunha, who provided an assist in the 4-1 win over Belgium on October 5, are likely to be retained. The regular inclusion of Rayan Cherki, a scorer against Belgium, limits surprises in this area. Manu Kone, however, is not expected to recover from a thigh injury in time.

Up front, absences are also mounting. Ousmane Dembele is out injured and Michael Olise, who scored twice and assisted against Belgium, is a doubt after picking up a knock against Dortmund. Esteban Lepaul has a left ankle issue. Marcus Thuram, in good form with Inter Milan, is a possibility, while Eli-Junior Kroupi may still be unavailable.

This squad announcement comes as Les Bleus approach the gathering with confidence, unbeaten in their last four matches (three wins, one draw). Their last result was a 4-1 victory over Belgium, with goals from Desire Doue, Rayan Cherki and a Michael Olise brace. The next challenge is a trip to face Italy on November 12, a match detailed on our fixtures page. Zidane must finalise his list despite these constraints to maintain the group's positive momentum.

Background and full detail: Foot Mercato