Hugo Lloris and Didier Deschamps are aware FIFA World Cup winners France face a tough opening to their UEFA Nations League campaign as they take on Sweden in Stockholm on Saturday.
Sweden defeated Deschamps' men on their last visit to the Friends Arena with a mistake by Lloris gifting the hosts a late winner. With the 2018 runners-up Croatia due at the Stade de France on Tuesday and European champions Portugal also in a testing Group 3, Les Bleus know the importance — and the difficulty — of getting off to a winning start.
"Above all, it's a first game back. For most of us, it's the first match of the season. We know the circumstances, we have to adapt to it as top-level athletes. We're all happy to be back with the national team after a difficult period. It's a new competition that's starting ahead of the EURO in June," said Lloris.
"We want to do well in this Nations League. We're starting against a great nation in Sweden, they're confident. Our last game here ended in a defeat and my mistake led us to losing the game. But after that, we were able to get top spot in the group and win the World Cup."
"In the last five visits here, France has won just once," added Deschamps. "We saw it during qualifying and the World Cup, they're an experienced team with players of great quality. It's never easy, for anyone, to come and play here. Sweden are a European team capable of beating other European teams, just as they did to us on our last visit."
Dayot Upamecano, the RB Leipzig centre-back, is expected to make his senior internatonal debut as Deschamps innovates on his habitual 4-2-3-1. Upamecano will feature in a back three along with Raphaël Varane and Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe.
Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot is set to win his first cap since March 2018 alongside Ngolo Kanté with Léo Dubois of Olympique Lyonnais and Lucas Digne the wing-backs. Antoine Griezmann should slot in behind Kylian Mbappé and Olivier Giroud, who will be making his 98th international appearance.
Sweden have a number of injury doubts, according to local media, including Union Berlin forward Sebastian Andersson. Former Girondins de Bordeaux striker Isaac Kiese Thelin, who now plays for Malmö, was a late addition to the squad.
Probable France team: Lloris - Upamecano, Varane, Kimpembe - Dubois, Rabiot, Kanté, Digne - Griezmann - Mbappé, Giroud
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