Didier Deschamps has been warned not to kill off France’s Euro hopes by forcing N’Golo Kante into a footballing straitjacket.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Emmanuel Petit, who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France, believes his country favourites this year.
But he insists manager Deschamps must throw caution to the wind and let Chelsea midfielder Kante take centre stage as a free spirit for Les Bleus.
Petit said: “N’Golo Kante needs to have freedom. Let him go where he wants to on the pitch because he feels the game all the time.
“He can read the opponent. He can anticipate the pass before the guy even thinks about him.
“Let him play. If you play him just as a holding midfielder like a Declan Rice, you’re going to kill him.
“He would still do a proper job. He would still get you the ball 20 or 25 times. But I want him to be free on the pitch.
This story is from the June 11, 2021 edition of Daily Express.
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This story is from the June 11, 2021 edition of Daily Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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