Deschamps and Tchouameni offer support to Mbappe ahead of crucial Croatia match

In a press conference on the eve of the return leg in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, Deschamps aimed to reduce the pressure on his star players - Mbappe and Dembele, ahead of the match against Croatia. The French coach insisted that he had not underestimated their opponents.

When asked about the two stars, Deschamps shifted the focus, saying: "They have a good technical relationship and a great bond off the field, but there are nine other players with them."

Of Mbappe, he praised his good physical condition but acknowledged that the forward "lacked efficiency" in the previous Thursday's match as he failed to score. However, Deschamps emphasised that Mbappe was "involved on the field, available and made many efforts."

The French manager also highlighted a "magnificent save" by the Croatian goalkeeper on one of Mbappe's shots, pointing out that as captain, the player "takes responsibility for his role."

Mbappe also received praise from Tchouameni, who joined Deschamps at the press conference, stating that his teammate is "very happy" to be playing with the national team again. "He brings the joy he always brings. He is a leader. We are very happy to have him with us," he said.

Deschamps stressed that he has not underestimated Croatia, who remain "at the highest level," having been semi-finalists at the last World Cup and finalists in the previous Nations League. "Some might say they have ageing players, but that doesn't stop them from being very effective," he added.

The coach also mentioned Luka Modric, praising the Croatian midfielder's long-standing level of excellence, which he demonstrated again last Thursday. "He's a great player, always decisive. He plays for Real Madrid, and even though he doesn't play 90 minutes every match, he still plays. He's a great professional with a significant influence on his team."

Deschamps was not critical of his own players, stating that he had seen "a concerned and highly motivated group," though "that didn't translate on the field" in the first leg.

For Tchouameni, Sunday's match is "not just any other game". "We weren't at our level in the first match," he said. "Since then, we've talked among ourselves. We know what we did well and what went wrong. We want to show a different image," he stressed.

Ahead of the match at the Stade de France—where all tickets have already been sold—Deschamps is uncertain about the availability of midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who is dealing with discomfort in his calf. "Having him seems complicated," Deschamps said.