Adrien Rabiot: “I am a leader in my own way”

Special envoy to Athens

If the Blues of 2023 are better than at the Best World Cup, I don't know, but we are on a positive dynamic. We are serious, determined in every match, we proved it again on Saturday. In the game, it would be necessary to compare with another major competition. What we are doing at the moment, we are doing it well, we are on a good path.

The fear of injury It's always complicated because it's a period when we play a lot. There are often injuries. The best way to avoid getting injured is to take matches seriously and not hold back.

Motivation in a match without stakesMotivation, I have it every time I enter the field. I am motivated by the idea of ​​winning a match. We have challenges, challenges that we set for ourselves, in particular finishing these qualifiers with the maximum number of points. If we do better than Argentina against Brazil (who compete in South America), we finish the year 1st in the Fifa rankings. These are objectives that we have in mind and this can help us.

His role in the French team I have already said it, I define myself as a player of balance. I have a different role here and at Juventus. I'm more on the projection at Juve. My role in the French team is more about balance. I am a leader in my own way. I think I am. We can all be that in our own way. I am more of a leader on the pitch, in the locker room, in private. It's more my personality. We need all these personalities to form a group that functions well.

If he will be captain against Greece (smile) I can't help you, I don't know at all, but I don't think so. (Didier Deschamps, who will succeed him at a press conference, will argue that he will not be)

On the situation of Paul Pogba I have nothing to tell you (about his possible sanction). I don't know what will happen to him. We talk, we saw each other before the selection, we had dinner together with partners (in Turin). He is always very smiling, very outgoing, the situation weighs on him, and as for what happens, I hope for the least difficult sanction (tested positive for testosterone, the international risks up to 4 years of suspension) . Dejected, we all are, he's a great player and a great man. Facing everything he's faced in recent weeks, but also in recent months and seasons, for one person, that's a lot. We are all with him.