France calls up a quartet of Bayern Munich players

Reigning World Cup champion France announced its roster for the upcoming European Championship qualifier matches against Albania and Andorra. Among those selected for the squad were a quartet of Bayern Munich players. Defenders Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez, along with midfielder Corentin Tolisso and winger Kingsley Coman, will represent Die Roten for the French national team.

France will play Albania on Saturday, September 7th, at 2:45PM EST, and also Andorra on Tuesday, September 10th, at 2:45PM EST. Both games will take place at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

Although they are primarily deployed as center-backs by Niko Kovac, Hernandez and Pavard were the starting outside-backs for the 2018 World Cup winners. Tolisso will be in a battle for playing time in the deep midfield group for coach Didier Deschamps, despite injuries to Chelsea’s N’Golo Kanté and Tottenham Hotspur’s Tanguy Ndombele.

Coman could also be fighting for playing time, though his pathway might be made easier by the absence of injured stars Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé and FC Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembélé.

Notable omissions include FC Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti and Marseille’s duo Florian Thauvin and Steve Mandanda, neither of whom received the call.