France stars play mid-Euro 2024 friendly as former Chelsea target scores hat-trick in thumping
FRANCE stars were involved in a rare mid-tournament friendly ahead of their Euro 2024 clash with the Netherlands on Friday.
The French thrashed German second division side Paderborn’s U21s 7-0 – with former Chelsea target Bradley Barcola netting a hat-trick.
Didier Deschamps made sure players who didn’t feature in France’s 1-0 victory over Austria got in plenty of game time this week.
In fact, the French boss played all the members of the squad who sat on the bench Austria.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Barcola, 21, opened the scoring with an individual effort from the left flank.
Some sloppy play at the back allowed Randal Kolo Muani to tap home, before Barcola netted his second.
Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman scored from long-range, before Barcola scored arguably the best goal of the game.
Facing two defenders, he knocked the ball around the outside of one opponent, to squeeze between another two, before chipping the goalkeeper.
Barcola, who was also linked with a move to Liverpool last year, can play on both wings or as a striker.
With both Chelsea and Liverpool interested, PSG nabbed him for £38m.
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Youssouf Fofana added a sixth before Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate finished off the scoring with a powerful header.
Barcola might have won his chance to play a few games in the group stages, after Kylian Mbappe was forced off with a broken nose against Austria.
Mbappe, 25, will miss France’s game against Netherlands, but is yet to be ruled out of their final group fixture against Poland.