On Thursday, Didier Deschamps announced a 24-player squad for the upcoming Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifying matches in Europe. France will face Georgia on March 22 and Spain on March 26.
While the list includes the talented Paul Pogba from Serie A leaders Juventus, it does not feature Etienne Capoue (24 years old). Capoue, the Guadeloupean scorer in previous qualifiers against Belarus on September 11, 2012, did not make the cut according to the Blues coach.
Deschamps clarified that Capoue’s exclusion is not a form of punishment, stating, “I expect him to perform better than he is. But it is not a sanction. I don’t have a message to convey. Being in the selection is good, but then there are club performances. There is competition.”
