Luxembourg vs France - Koscielny warns team-mates not to underestimate Luxembourg
Posted Friday, March 24, 2017 by PA
France defender Laurent Koscielny has warned it would be wrong to underestimate the challenge of minnows Luxembourg when they head to Stade Josy Barthel.
Les Bleus currently top Group A, three points ahead of Holland and Sweden, while their hosts have just one point from their opening four World Cup 2018 qualifiers.
Luxembourg may be ranked at 135, just below Tajikistan and Palestine, but Arsenal centre-half Koscielny has seen enough to avoid any complacency on Saturday night.
"There is a big gap with Luxembourg (in the world rankings), but remember Iceland - nobody put a coin on them at the (2016) Euros and yet look what happened. We will have to do whatever it takes," Koscielny said at a press conference.
"We know a few (of the Luxembourg) players. We also know that they have never taken big defeats. It has always been complicated matches for their opponents, even the Netherlands.
"It is up to us to put together the right ingredients: speed in ball circulation, concentration on their counter-attacks or set-plays.
"There are no more small teams and this will be a tricky match."
France have picked up their form since opening the Group A fixtures with a goalless draw in Belarus, and head to Luxembourg on the back of wins over both Holland and Sweden.
Midfielder Paul Pogba would not have been available on Saturday night because of suspension, although the Manchester United midfielder is still recovering from a thigh problem he suffered in the Europa League tie against Rostov.
As cover France manager Didier Deschamps, whose side host Spain in a friendly on March 28, opted to call up Monaco's Tiemoue Bakayoko for the first time.
Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has a hamstring injury, which means Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti could come into the team alongside Koscielny.
No matter what side Deschamps decides to send out against Luxembourg, anything less than victory for France will be deemed as failure.
Despite the clear gap in class, midfielder Christopher Martins-Pereira, who plays his club football with Lyon B reserves squad, maintains Luxembourg will be up for the challenge.
"We face France with the idea to start well, not to open up too soon and who knows, maybe score. However against such an opponent, you cannot think to attack all the time, but especially to defend as best as possible," Martins-Pereira said, quoted in L'Equipe.
"It is true that we have become a tough team to play against and we are compact.
"However, we must try not to think about things too much, we just have to play instinctively and give everything.
"We all defend together, try to be more supportive and we will also try to score."
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