Deschamps to rotate against Azerbaijan with World Cup qualification locked up

VIDEO SHOWS: FRANCE TRAINING AND PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, AHEAD OF WORLD CUP QUALIFIER AWAY TO AZERBAIJAN RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (NOVEMBER 15, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE HEAD COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, SAYING: “I’ll be making lots of changes because I think now is the right time to do so given we’ve already qualified and there are players who haven’t got much playing time. We also played just three days ago and had a long journey to get here. So I want to see them tomorrow.” 2. PRESS CONFERENCE ONGOING 3. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE HEAD COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, ON CAPTAIN, KYLIAN MBAPPE, SAYING: ”Kylian still has inflammation on his ankle. I let him return to Real Madrid and they’ll assess him. I don't think it was worth taking any risks given we’ve already qualified.” 4. DESCHAMPS AT TRAINING 5. DEFENDERS, THEO HERNANDEZ, LUCAS HERNANDEZ, AND WINGER, FLORIAN THAUVIN, WALKING OUT 6. PLAYERS WALKING OUT 7. VARIOUS OF WINGER, RAYAN CHERKI, WARMING UP 8. VARIOUS OF MIDFIELDER, N’GOLO KANTE, WARMING UP 9. PLAYERS WARMING UP 10. FORWARD, JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA, WARMING UP 11. GOALKEEPERS, BRICE SAMBA, MIKE MAIGNAN, LUCAS CHEVALIER, WARMING UP 12. DEFENDER, WILLIAM SALIBA, DOING KEEPIE-UPPIES 13. FORWARD, CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU 14. VARIOUS OF MAIGNAN TRAINING 15. DEFENDER, IBRAHIMA KONATE, ON THE BALL 16. FULL-BACK, MALO GUSTO, ON THE BALL 17. DESCHAMPS WITH MEMBER OF COACHING STAFF 18. FORWARD, HUGO EKITIKE, TALKING TO CHEEKI 19. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS WARMING UP IN CIRCLE 20. GOALKEEPERS TRAINING STORY: France captain Kylian Mbappe will miss their final World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Sunday (November 16) due to an ankle injury with France coach Didier Deschamps allowing his captain to return to Real Madrid for treatment.  The 26-year-old forward scored two goals and delivered one assist during the 4-0 victory over Ukraine on Thursday, when France clinched their spot at the 2026 World Cup. Speaking to a press conference on Saturday, Deschamps said he is keen to use the dead rubber match to rotate his squad as France look to finish the campaign unbeaten. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, will be playing for pride having already been eliminated with just one point from five matches.  (Production: Murad Husseinov, Conal Quinn)

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