France manager Didier Deschamps says he is "not concerned" with his side's recent struggles in front of goal ahead of their final Euro 2024 group game against Poland on Tuesday.
Les Bleus are all but through to the knockout stages of the European Championships, sitting joint-top of Group D with four points, but need to avoid defeat to ensure progression.
Yet France's only goal at the tournament so far has come courtesy of Maximilian Wober turning into his own net in the opening 1-0 victory over Austria, before a goalless draw with the Netherlands on Friday.
France failed to score with any of their 15 shots in a wasteful display against the Oranje as Deschamps went without Kylian Mbappe, who was only fit enough for the bench due to his broken nose.
Asked about Les Bleus' profligate showings, Deschamps responded: "I am not concerned. It is just the name of the game.
"Sometimes you have countless chances and don't hit the back of the net, and sometimes it is the other way round.
"I would be worried if there were not any chances. Efficiency at high-level football is important, and it is something we can work on.
On Mbappe's fitness, Deschamps added: "Everything is going in the right direction; he is recovering from the shock, there is the haematoma part which will diminish each day, he will get used to his mask, which modifies the vision a little. But he is fine."
Poland became the first side to be eliminated from the tournament following France's draw, after they lost their opening matches to the Netherlands (2-1) and Austria (3-1).
They have faced their own problems without Robert Lewandowski, who missed the start of the tournament due to a hamstring injury before appearing from the bench against Austria.
"We are depressed by this result, but we still have one more game in our group, and we need to put our best foot forward and try to win three points," Lewandowski said.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
France – N'Golo Kante
N'Golo Kante was a surprise inclusion in Deschamps' squad for the tournament after a two-year absence from the national side, but his performances so far have earned him the Player of the Match award in their opening two games.
The midfielder has made more major tournament appearances without losing than any other European player, with France unbeaten in all 17 games he has played across the Euros and World Cup (W12 D5).
Poland – Piotr Zielinski
Poland may be out of the tournament but will be desperate to go down fighting, with Piotr Zielinski again expected to be key here.
Zielinski has been directly involved in more shots than any other Poland player at Euro 2024 (11 – seven shots, four chances created), as well as completing the most passes for his side (68) across the first two rounds.
MATCH PREDICTION: FRANCE WIN
This will only be the third meeting between France and Poland in a major tournament, and the first at the Euros. Poland won a third-place play-off match 3-2 at the 1982 World Cup, while France triumphed 3-1 in the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup.
Including all competitions, France are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Poland (W4 D4), since losing a friendly match 4-0 in August 1982.
Les Bleus simply need to avoid defeat to qualify for the knockout stages, and they are unbeaten in their eight games in the group stage at the Euros under Deschamps (W4 D4), with their last such defeat coming on MD 3 versus Sweden at Euro 2012 (2-0), under Laurent Blanc.
Meanwhile, Poland have lost both of their games at Euro 2024 so far but have never previously suffered three defeats in a single group stage at a major tournament.
Poland have lost their final group stage match in three of their four previous appearances at the European Championships, with the exception being a 1-0 win against Ukraine in 2016 – the only time they have reached the knockout rounds of the competition.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
France – 73.9%
Draw – 14.8%
Poland – 11.2%
'Privilege' of coaching Messi key to Inter Miami decision, says Mascherano
Javier Mascherano said the "privilege" of coaching former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi was a key factor in his decision to join Inter Miami as their new head coach.
Mascherano was appointed as the club's new boss days after Gerardo Martino resigned from his position following the Herons' early exit from the MLS playoffs.
Martino cited "personal reasons" after leaving the team, which he led to Leagues Cup glory shortly after his arrival last year, while also helping Miami set a new single-season MLS points record of 74 as they clinched the 2024 Supporters' Shield.
Mascherano played alongside Messi at Barcelona for eight years, winning 19 major honours including two Champions League titles, with the former midfielder citing a reunion with the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner as key to his decision.
“The privilege of coaching Messi," Mascherano said when asked why he had joined the club.
"Obviously, players of the calibre of my former team-mates like Luis (Suarez), (Sergio) Busquets, Jordi (Alba), and others I’ve had the chance to know, especially the Argentines.
"And some young academy players like Noah Allen and David Ruiz, who have potential. Having worked with young players for a long time, I enjoy continuing to have this opportunity."
The 40-year-old, however, embarks on his first senior management role having only taken charge of Argentina's youth teams, most recently at the Paris Olympics when he led them to the quarter-finals of the competition before losing to beaten finalists France.
Many supporters have put Mascherano's arrival down to the influence of Messi, but the new boss is ready to silence the sceptics as he takes the reins with little managerial experience under his belt.
"People in the world can have their opinion, and it is valid, clearly, but I am convinced that I am capable of coaching the team," said Mascherano.
"I am very excited to be able to do it. I can do it. I have no doubt. Sometimes, in football, [talk of] 'experience' doesn't make much sense.
"Beyond the fact that I have been coaching for three years, coaching the youth teams of the Argentine national team, [where] I have always been under pressure.
"I am also supported by a playing career of almost 20 years and everything I’ve experienced."
Hurzeler prepared for 'intense' Fulham clash
Fabian Hurzeler is expecting an "intense" contest when Brighton and Hove Albion face Fulham in the Premier League on Thursday.
Brighton were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw with bottom side Southampton last Friday but are fourth in the table after 13 rounds of matches.
Fulham are four points behind Brighton after going two games without a win, but Hurzeler is anticipating a tough match at Craven Cottage.
"They are a very good team, good in possession," he said. "They do everything out of compactness and they try to shift and be aggressive.
"It is a very small, tight stadium; the pitch is not the biggest, so it should be quite an intense game."
Hurzeler will have a different vantage point for the match in south London as he is serving a touchline ban after being yellow carded last week.
"Honestly, I trust my team, I trust my staff," he said. "I'm also very convinced that the players will do it on the pitch."
Fulham were stunned 4-1 by lowly Wolves in their most recent home game, which they followed up with a creditable 1-1 draw at Tottenham.
Tom Cairney was sent off and will therefore serve a suspension in the game with Brighton, while Sasa Lukic and Harrison Reed are also out.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno accepts Fulham will not find things easy against the high-flying Seagulls.
"Brighton are a very good team, very well organised team. It will be a very tough game," he said.
"We'll try to play our game, we'll try to win that game, but Brighton are in a good moment. Hopefully we can keep the points at the Cottage."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham - Harry Wilson
Wilson has been involved in four goals in his past four Premier League appearances against Brighton (two goals and two assists), including a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win for Fulham in this corresponding fixture last season.
The forward has yet to start a league game this season, but he has three goals in nine substitute appearances for Marco Silva's side.
Brighton - Kaoru Mitoma
Mitoma opened the scoring for Brighton in their draw with Southampton, making it goals in back-to-back Premier League games.
The Japan international has more goals (two) in his past two games than he managed in the previous 24 (one) in the competition, but he has never scored in three in a row.
MATCH PREDICTION - FULHAM WIN
Brighton have won three of their six Premier League away games so far this season, which is just one less than they managed in the whole of the 2023-24 campaign.
Fulham have conceded in each of their last 10 Premier League home games, meanwhile, shipping 20 goals in total in this run.
However, the London side are unbeaten in all eight of their Premier League games against Brighton – the joint-most they have faced a side without ever losing (along with Norwich City).
Brighton have also failed to win any of their league visits to Craven Cottage, losing three of those and drawing the other.
Furthermore, Albion are winless in their past nine Premier League away matches against London clubs in their worst-such run since between 1961 and 1967 (10 games).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham - 41.4%
Brighton - 33.8%
Draw - 24.8%
Alonso: Schick injury 'doesn't look good'
Xabi Alonso says the injury that forced Patrik Schick off during Bayer Leverkusen's win over Bayern Munich "doesn't look good".
Schick was substituted an hour into Tuesday's DFB-Pokal tie, having only been introduced at half-time, after sustaining an injury off the ball.
The forward has scored nine goals for Leverkusen in all competitions this season, a tally only Florian Wirtz can match.
Asked about Schick's injury after his side's 1-0 victory at the Allianz Arena, head coach Alonso said: "Patrik felt something in his calf.
"He's being examined and we'll see. It doesn't look good at the moment."
Schick played the full 90 minutes for Leverkusen and scored the winner in Saturday's 2-1 Bundesliga win at Union Berlin.
Asked by Bild about his substitution against Bayern, the Czech international suggested he was already carrying a knock.
"I suffered a thigh problem in Berlin. I can't say more now, I don't know," he said.
Nathan Tella scored the only goal of the last-16 tie in the 69th minute, with holders Leverkusen profiting from Manuel Neuer's first-half dismissal.
The reigning German champions have scored in 35 successive DFB-Pokal away games, yet they were not at their best in Bavaria.
Despite having less possession and registering fewer shots than their opponents, Leverkusen got the job done to advance to the quarter-finals.
"It was not our best game with the ball or even with an extra man but we applied our plan," defender Jonathan Tah said.
"It was not immediately easy to adapt to having an extra man. We did not use it in the first half. We were too hectic and wanted to score quickly.
"We did not do it perfectly today but we were effective and then Nathan headed in the winner."
Alonso has now won all nine of his games as a head coach in the competition – only Louis van Gaal and Pep Guardiola (both 10) have gone longer unbeaten at the start of their coaching careers.
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