ARTICLE AD
It’s the big day. After Spain, England, Italy and Germany, the French team will finally start its Euro 2024 this Monday evening, against Ralf Rangnick’s Austria, at the Dusseldorf Arena (9 p.m.). A highly anticipated match for French supporters after the failure of Euro 2020, where the Blues were eliminated in the round of 16 against Switzerland. And for this opening match, Didier Deschamps has reserved a few surprises in his team composition.
Despite some physical problems at the end of the season with AC Milan, Mike Maignan will indeed be a starter to face Austria. In front of him, full-backs Jules Koundé and Théo Hernandez will logically start the match, preferred to Jonathan Clauss and Ferland Mendy. For the central hinge, Didier Deschamps innovated by preferring to line up William Saliba in place of Ibrahima Konaté. The Arsenal defender will play alongside Dayot Upamecano.
Kanté, Saliba and Thuram at the start
In midfield, N’Golo Kanté was lined up in front of the defence since Aurélien Tchouameni is not yet fit. The Al-Ittihad midfielder will play alongside Adrien Rabiot, who has recovered from injury – preferred to Youssouf Fofana and Eduardo Camavinga – and Antoine Griezmann for this match. For the French attack, Parisian Ousmane Dembélé will start the match with his captain Kylian Mbappé, who will be lined up in the centre. Marcus Thuram is also expected to start.
Didier Deschamps’ men will face an Austrian 4-5-1 with nine Bundesliga players, with the exception of Kevin Danso (RC Lens), who will start the match. Marcel Sabitzer (Dortmund), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich) and Christoph Baumgartner (Leipzig) will be lined up in midfield to thwart the Blues. Experienced striker Marko Arnautović should start on the bench. A match not to be taken lightly for the Tricolores.
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Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.