Playmakers return for France´s Romania test

France coach Laurent Blanc is grappling with the configuration of his midfield prior to the visit of Romania for the Euro 2012 Group D qualifier at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Les Bleus got their qualifying campaign back on track with a convincing 2-0 victory at Bosnia-Hercegovina in their last outing, having slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus in their opening game.

The basis for the win in Sarajevo was a dominant display from central midfielders Alou Diarra, Yann M’Vila and Abou Diaby in a solid 4-3-3 formation, but both Diarra and Diaby are doubts for the Romania game.

Diarra limped out of training with a leg injury on Wednesday, while Diaby has not trained all week due to an ankle problem sustained on club duty with Arsenal.

The blow of their likely unavailability has been softened by the returns of Yoann Gourcuff and Samir Nasri from suspension and injury respectively, but Blanc must now decided how to accommodate both playmakers in his side.

Gourcuff enjoyed a fine working relationship with Blanc during their time together at Bordeaux, where they won the French league title and the League Cup in the 2008-09 season.

The Lyon player is expected to become the key creative force in Blanc’s new-look France team, but questions remain about how to fit him into the same starting XI as Arsenal’s Nasri.

“Nothing obliges us to have a real playmaker, but players capable of making the team play better are always useful,” said Blanc.

“Samir and Yoann can both fulfil this role.”

In training at their Clairefontaine base this week, Blanc has reportedly experimented with a 4-2-3-1 system featuring Gourcuff alongside M’Vila in deep midfield roles, with Nasri operating further forward.

Gourcuff’s Lyon team-mate Anthony Reveillere is expected to come into the team in place of injured right-back Bacary Sagna.

Karim Benzema arrived late for the training camp along with Real Madrid team-mate Lassana Diarra, but Blanc says it has not jeopardised the former Lyon striker’s chances of starting the game.

The France coach has also called on his players to shrug off the complex that has seen them produce some timid performances at the Stade de France in recent years, culminating in the loss to Belarus.

“When you play in a stadium you don’t know, which is full of history, it can diminish your abilities and prevent you from expressing yourself,” he said.

“The Stade de France has to become our stadium.”

France drew home and away against Romania in qualifying for the World Cup and the sides also drew 0-0 when they met in the group phase at the last European Championship in 2008.

Romania failed to qualify for the World Cup after finishing second-bottom of France’s group behind Austria and Lithuania.

They opened their Euro 2012 qualification bid with a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Albania and were then held to a goalless draw in Belarus.

Romania coach Razvan Lucescu responded by recalling FC Timisoara winger Ianis Zicu and Lazio left-back Stefan Radu after absences of three and two years respectively, while midfielder Iulian Apostol earned his first call-up of 2010.

“We’re still training with the idea of winning in our minds,” Lucescu told AFP this week.

“We never prepare for a game thinking about defeat. I want us to win.”

Romania captain Cristian Chivu says his side have no reason to doubt themselves, despite failing to sparkle in their first two games.

“There were no defeats,” said the Inter Milan player.

“We should have beaten Albania, but at Belarus we got an acceptable result. Qualification is still up for grabs.”