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« Of course (that I rely on him). Which player, at some point in his career, has not been questioned? This was the case for Hugo or Antoine before the World Cup. Paul at another time. Oliver too. Overnight, you don’t put a cross on someone. It is up to me and my staff to judge Benjamin against the competition. »With these words delivered this week in an interview with Parisian, Didier Deschamps has, it seems, swept away some of the doubts that surround his relationship with Benjamin Pavard. No, there would therefore be no total break between the coach and the defender of Bayern, and above all, yes, the latter is still in the running to be called up on Thursday, at the next gathering of the France team. It must be said that the Munich player had the good inspiration to stand out, this Saturday against Augsburg, by planting two pawns in the space of fifteen minutes. Ideal to remind DD that his selection adventure may not be over.
The World Cup did not shoot him down
In an Allianz Arena still jubilant after qualifying against PSG, the Frenchman scored the first double of his career this Saturday. He first took advantage of a good ball from Mané to emerge like a fox and send a volley into the back of the net, before surprising everyone fifteen minutes later by delivering a spectacular and unstoppable front scissor. A performance that above all sums up a trend that has lasted for several weeks: since his return from Qatar, Benjamin Pavard has not let his complicated period with the Blues get him down, and has even regained the dimension that was his at Bayern.
Benjamin Pavard vs Augsburgpic.twitter.com/q5Mw7RmF66
— Munich Comps (@MunichComps) March 12, 2023
« Benji gave a good performance. He always wants to win. He also scored goals today. He played very well against Paris in the first leg. He plays more often in his preferred position and does a good job. I know it feels good here », pointed out Julian Nagelsmann after the success of his family. Words that join the actions, since the German technician has aligned the Frenchman among his holders nine times out of the twelve matches that Bayern have played since the resumption, most often in a role of right central defender, in a system with three behind. And this is where the shoe pinches for the Blues, since Pavard is not used in this position, but rather as a right side, which he is very rarely the rest of the year.
Uncertain competition rather to his advantage
It is for the moment still difficult to know what system intends to put in place the coach for the next deadlines of the country (the reception of the Netherlands on March 24, before going to Ireland three days later). In the event of a return to a three-man defense with two pistons, it is possible to believe in a return of Pavard in the costume of a corridor player (probably alongside Jonathan Clauss, whose tendency is to return in selection), as the position is still so poorly filled. Koundé does not leave indisputably, the health of Mukiele is uncertain, the Simakan or Kalulu solutions do not seem to be envisaged for the moment, and the Disasi experiment against Tunisia had not given satisfaction.
On the other hand, it is more complicated to believe in a return of Pavard to his preferential position, as France is overflowing with candidates for the succession of Varane: Konaté, Saliba, Upamecano are already there, while Fofana and Todibo are applying for a baptism in selection. The other unknown remains the real nature of the relationship – more important than the clichés of communication – between the coach and the player, who has not played a minute with the Blues since the first match of the World Cup against Australia, during which he had not been successful. The Northerner has in any case put the odds on his side recently, he only has to turn on his TV on Thursday to be fixed.
Brice Samba should be called up to the France team
