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Pogba offered up as inspiration to Griezmann as France boss Deschamps reacts to Barcelona struggles
The World Cup winner has been enduring a tough time at Camp Nou, but his international coach retains full faith in a proven performer
Antoine Griezmann’s struggles at Barcelona will not impact his role within the France squad, says Didier Deschamps, with the forward seeing his situation likened to that of Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
Two World Cup winners have found the going tough at times in 2020-21, leading to inevitable questions being asked of their future and value with club and country.
Griezmann is under that spotlight at present, having scored just six times in La Liga this season, but Deschamps retains full faith in a proven performer and is not about to snub him any time soon – having previously taken a similar approach with enigmatic midfielder Pogba.
What has been said?
Deschamps told beIN Sports of Griezmann’s situation: “He may not be playing at his best, but that is not to question his quality. It would be indecent to question his presence in the national team.
“In November, Paul was going through an even more difficult period with Manchester United. Being with us gave him a boost and he had a great game against Portugal. Antoine's case is the same, it's a matter of trust.
“They know that in the France team they are in a different environment. All the players can go through a bad period at their club, but I maintain the confidence I have in them.
“The players must bear in mind that there is competition. If at some point I think that a young man has less experience but can bring something more to the team, I will not hesitate to count on him.”
How many caps does Griezmann have for France?
The Blaugrana striker has represented his country on 86 occasions.
Through those outings, the target has been found 33 times, with a World Cup crown captured along the way.
The bigger picture
While Deschamps has no concerns about Griezmann, he will be hoping to see a key part of his plans rediscover a spark over the coming weeks.
Barca remain in the hunt for La Liga and Copa del Rey crowns this season, so should offer a big-money asset ample opportunity in which to prove his worth.
Any form found late on in a domestic season could end up working in France’s favour, as they count down the days to this summer’s European Championship and another quest for major silverware.
