Will Deschamps stick or twist against Uruguay?

Matuidi’s suspension gives France boss a dilemma

It took France a while to get going at this World Cup, but they looked superb going forward in their 4-2 last-16 win over Argentina.

Kylian Mbappe’s lethal bursts from the right flank were the most eye-catching aspects of the performance, but there was real balance to the France side.

Olivier Giroud provides a much-needed focal point up front, allowing Antoine Griezmann to float around with menace. But Blaise Matuidi on the left was the unsung hero.

Matuidi’s inclusion ahead of Ousmane Dembele was seen by many as another sign of Didier Deschamps’ conservatism.

But the 31-year-old helped to prevent Lionel Messi from having any real influence on the game. He tucked inside to help the midfield without the ball, which gave Mbappe the freedom to race forwards.

However, he’ll be suspended for Saturday’s tricky quarter-final tie against Uruguay. France are evens to go through, but how will Deschamps set up without Matuidi?

Go for it

Uruguay have only conceded one goal so far in Russia. They’ve got an exceptional central defensive partnership in Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, who also play together for Atletico Madrid. They’re shielded by the tireless Lucas Torreira.

It’s obvious the South Americans will be very hard to break down in Nizhny Novgorod. They’ll be happy to sit deep and look to Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani to cause problems on the break.

Deschamps could opt to play a very attacking line-up by selecting Dembele on the left. The Barcelona winger could stretch the Uruguay backline with his speed.