FRANCE — EXPECTED STARTING XI (4-2-3-1)
No chances were taken with William Saliba against Norway — the Arsenal centre-back was rested as a precautionary measure for a back issue, but Deschamps has no concerns about his availability for the knockout stage. Saliba’s reintroduction restores France’s first-choice centre-back pairing alongside Dayot Upamecano, considered by some within the squad to be the strongest defensive partnership available to Deschamps this summer.
Mike MAIGNAN (GK)
Jules KOUNDÉ William SALIBA Dayot UPAMECANO Theo HERNÁNDEZ
Aurélien TCHOUAMÉNI Adrien RABIOT
Michael OLISE Ousmane DEMBÉLÉ Désiré DOUÉ
Kylian MBAPPÉConfirmed/Expected XI: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernández; Tchouaméni, Rabiot; Olise, Dembélé, Doué; Mbappé
Key Team News:
- Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot continue as the double pivot that has controlled tempo throughout the group stage, screening the back four and allowing the more advanced players freedom to operate.
- Marcus Thuram is set to miss out again with a calf issue — Désiré Doué retains his place on the left, though his position is “under threat” from Bradley Barcola given the latter’s pace, and Deschamps could opt for Barcola instead.
- Theo Hernández is favoured over Lucas Digne at left-back, though Deschamps has both options available.
- Ousmane Dembélé arrives in red-hot form after his brutal first-half hat-trick inspired France’s 4-1 win over a heavily rotated Norway — after failing to score in his first 19 appearances at major tournaments, the Ballon d’Or winner has now found his groove on the big international stage.
- Kylian Mbappé has scored in all three group-stage matches and leads the line as France’s central attacking focus.
Squad depth available: Kante, Koné, Zaïre-Émery (midfield); Akliouche, Barcola, Cherki, Mateta (attack); Digne, Gusto, L. Hernández, Konaté, Lacroix (defence).
SWEDEN — EXPECTED STARTING XI (4-2-3-1 / 4-4-2)
Sweden have much bigger structural dilemmas. Centre-back Isak Hien is sidelined with an injury, forcing Graham Potter to reshuffle his backline. Victor Lindelöf is expected to drop back from midfield into central defence to cover the gap, while Tottenham’s teenage sensation Lucas Bergvall is in line to take his place in the midfield engine room.
Jacob ZETTERSTRÖM (GK)
Gustaf LAGERBIELKE Victor LINDELÖF Gabriel GUDMUNDSSON
Mattias BERNHARDSSON Lucas BERGVALL Yasin AYARI Elliot STROUD
Anthony ELANGA Alexander ISAK
Viktor GYÖKERESConfirmed/Expected XI: Zetterström; Lagerbielke, Lindelöf, Gudmundsson; Bernhardsson, Bergvall, Ayari, Stroud; Elanga, Gyökeres, Isak
Key Team News:
- Isak Hien is ruled out through injury — a significant blow to a Swedish defence that already conceded seven goals across the group stage.
- Victor Lindelöf is listed as questionable though projected to start, dropping into defence from his customary midfield berth to cover Hien’s absence — a positional reshuffle that “thins an already shaky defense.”
- Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak are a Premier League-calibre forward pairing who can hurt anyone — the platform behind them is the concern, not their individual quality.
- Sweden’s set-piece duties: Yasin Ayari (9 corners/free-kicks taken), Benjamin Nygren (3), Anthony Elanga (1), Elliot Stroud (3), Gabriel Gudmundsson (1).
Sweden’s group-stage record: Beat Tunisia 5-1, lost 5-1 to Netherlands, drew 1-1 with Japan — finishing third in Group F on four points but advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Predicted Score: France 3-1 Sweden — Mbappé and Dembélé combine again; Gyökeres gets Sweden’s consolation.
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