Blues suffer first defeat due to Dembélé and Doué's injuries

France Prepares for a Pivotal Match Against Iceland at the Parc des Princes

The France national team is set to return to the Parc des Princes for a crucial World Cup qualifier match against Iceland on Tuesday evening. However, the stadium's state two weeks prior to the match has raised concerns.

The Parc des Princes has seen the French team lose four out of seven competitive matches since 1993, a far cry from their usual standards. Despite this, the return of defensive personnel and the formidable impact of Tchouaméni-Koné midfielders offer promising signs for France's performance.

Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French team, used a 4-2-3-1 formation in the previous match against Ukraine. Michael Olise was anchored to the playmaker position in this setup, making him a modern number 10. However, the injuries to Dembélé and Doué could cause them to miss more than half of the World Cup qualifiers if they are not able to play next month.

Iceland, on the other hand, has had a mixed run of form since their loss to France in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals. If we exclude Liechtenstein from Iceland's record, they have won only five games since 2020. Their recent victory against Azerbaijan (3-0) on Friday is a positive sign, but it remains to be seen how they will fare against the French team.

The focus for the French team should be on securing second place in the group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Dominating Ukraine and separating from Iceland in the group stage would set the Blues apart from the competition.

The evening's stake in the France-Iceland match lies in separating from Iceland, not in the close scrutiny of Bradley Barcola's playing time. The French team's performance in the upcoming match should be evaluated beyond the results at the Parc des Princes.

The coach of the Icelandic national team that faces France on Tuesday evening is Þorsteinn Halldórsson. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter, filled with high stakes and intense competition. The French team will be looking to turn their recent fortunes at the Parc des Princes around and secure a crucial victory in their World Cup qualifier campaign.