France coach Deschamps winds up Lampard over Kante injury… and asks for Giroud to play for Chelsea
FRANCE boss Didier Deschamps has ribbed Frank Lampard after the Chelsea manager pleaded with him to not pick injury-doubt N'Golo Kante for his latest Les Bleus squad.
The 50-year-old has ignored Lampard's request... and instead cheekily urged him to start picking Olivier Giroud.
Kante has been in and out of the Chelsea side so far in this campaign - having suffered with recurring injuries and fitness problems after largely missing pre-season.
The World Cup winning midfielder has only featured twice since the August 18 1-1 draw with Leicester - but did play the full match on Wednesday night in his home country as the Blues beat Lille 2-1.
He also scored a beautiful goal against Liverpool on September 22 - but Lampard had been keen to urge caution over his fitness.
Before the Lille match he said: "He's had a difficult pre-season - difficult for us but mainly for him - to get going, because of the break up of his pre-season with the injury he carried over from last year."
But despite his lack of appearances this season, Kante will link up with his France team-mates next week.
His manager Didier Deschamps said: "Lampard asked me not to pick Kante at the last rally, if it's still that way.
"Maybe I'll call him later to tell him it would be nice if you play Olivier Giroud a little bit."
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Giroud started six out of seven matches at last year's World Cup for the triumphant French - but has started only two matches in all competitions this season for Chelsea.
And he hasn't been missed in the slightest at Stamford Bridge - with Tammy Abraham having earned an England call-up himself by scoring eight goals in nine games in the Premier League and Champions League.
Kante and Giroud will take on Iceland and Turkey in the international break alongside fellow Premier League stars Tanguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko... but Paul Pogba has been left out due to injury.