Danes done good, warns Deschamps

FRANCE manager Didier Deschamps hopes his side learnt lessons from surprise Nations League defeats to Denmark ahead of today’s clash in Doha.

The reigning champions kicked off their title defence with a 4-1 thrashing of Australia. Yet Denmark, who began with a goalless draw against Tunisia, are bidding for a hat-trick of wins over Les Bleus, having already beaten them home and away this year.

“They are underestimated as a team,” Deschamps said.

“We are talking about a fourmonth period where they beat us twice and made life very difficult for us. We will have to make sure that’s not the case.

“It is not a question of revenge because we know the Danish players and they know us. They can change system from one match to the other and that can give us different types of difficulties.”

Deschamps will be forced into at least one change to the starting XI, which began against Australia as Bayern Munich defender Lucas Hernandez is out of the rest of the tournament with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

His brother Theo Hernandez is expected to replace him, while Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane is fit to start but winger Kingsley Coman (hip) sat out yesterday’s training session.

Denmark won 2-1 in Paris in June before defeating the world champions 2-0 in Copenhagen at the end of September.

France captain Hugo Lloris said those setbacks serve as a warning.

“It gives you an idea of the level of this Danish team,” the Spurs keeper said.

“It’s a wake-up for us. We know it will be a decisive game for qualification.”