Les Bleus flag changes for Serbia clash

France will ring the changes again in Thursday’s international friendly against Serbia in Reims.

A number of Les Bleus players who did not start in the 3-2 victory over Iceland on Sunday should get their chance to perform, having made the 23-man cut.

Yoann Gourcuff and Montpellier’s title-winning captain Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa were the unlucky duo to have been omitted from the preliminary squad as attention now turns to final preparations.

The back four was notoriously suspect against the Nordic nation on Sunday, with Philippe Mexes and Patrice Evra shouldering much of the criticism that allowed Lars Lagerback’s side to take a 2-0 lead in Valenciennes. Neither should start, with deputies Laurent Koscielny and Gael Clichy expected to stake their claim.

Rennes’ want-away midfielder Yann M’Vila was rested, as was goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, and both are set to regain their places.

Olivier Giroud starred in his cameo, coming off the bench to assist two goals and could get the nod ahead of Karim Benzema, with Marseille’s Mathieu Valbuena and Chelsea’s Florent Malouda offering the support from the flanks.

Serbia have been thrown into fresh controversy with the revelation that Fiorentina midfielder Adem Ljajic has been dropped by new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic for failing to sing the national anthem before the 2-0 defeat to world and European champions Spain.

A number of key players have been left out of the White Eagles squad, including Milos Krasic, Zdravko Kuzmanovic, Nenad Milijas, Milan Jovanovic, Miralem Sulejmani and Nikola Zigic. Siena’s Zeljko Brkic is in line to gain his sixth cap in goal, ahead of Tavriya Simferopol’s Damir Kahriman, who started against Vicente del Bosque’s men.

Alongside the likes of Branislav Ivanovic and Neven Subotic, Ligue 1 stars such as Pavle Ninkov and Milan Bisevac could also feature.