France's surprise 2-1 loss to Denmark in the opening game of their Nations League title defence was down to a lack of sharpness, according to assistant boss Guy Stephan.
Substitute Andreas Cornelius scored twice for Denmark in Friday's contest at Stade de France, where Les Blues had taken the lead through Karim Benzema's 51st-minute strike.
The defeat is France's first inside 90 minutes in a competitive game on home soil since losing 1-0 to Spain in March 2013.
It is also the first time the reigning World Cup winners have lost a game in which they have led since going down 3-2 to Colombia in a friendly a little over four years ago.
And at the end of a long season, France coach Stephan – filling in for Didier Deschamps, who is mourning the passing of his father – believes fatigue played a big part.
"We knew that Denmark were a good team, with a very good structure," Stephan told M6.
"Without looking for an excuse, we're coming to the end of a season in which the players have played a lot. I have nothing to blame them for.
"It was a match between two good teams. We had some good spells and some less good spells.
"We just needed some freshness to be able to express ourselves and we didn't have that today."
The hosts had 19 shots to Denmark's eight, yet Cornelius' double – making him the first substitute to score twice against France – earned his side a shock win in Paris.
Cornelius volleyed in from a fine Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg pass for his opener and then thumped a winner past Hugo Lloris at his near post two minutes from time.
"There are never good times to suffer defeats," Lloris told M6. "There's still a long time to go until the World Cup, though of course it's never good to start a campaign with a defeat.
"We fell against a good, well-organised team. At 1-0 we had chances for a second, but we were so committed to the attack that there were also risks that Denmark exploited."
France replaced Kylian Mbappe with Christopher Nkunku at half-time, which Stephan confirmed was a precautionary measure after the Paris Saint-Germain star injured his knee.
Raphael Varane also hobbled off in the second half and will undergo a scan on his thigh ahead of Monday's trip to Croatia in Les Blues' second Group A1 outing.
Deschamps is set to return to the France camp on Saturday ahead of that game, which takes on added importance following Croatia's 3-0 loss to Austria elsewhere on Friday.
Gavi loses number six jersey after LaLiga blocks Barcelona registration
Gavi has lost his first-team status and shirt number at Barcelona after his registration was blocked by LaLiga.
The Spain international was registered as a first-team player by Barca in January, and it was announced he would wear the number six shirt.
Yet LaLiga sought to overturn a court decision that ruled in Barcelona's favour, with the league getting its way earlier in March, entitling it to reverse Gavi's registration.
Barcelona have been told they cannot register the 18-year-old's contract as they do not have room in their wage bill.
Gavi has subsequently been placed back on his youth contract, meaning he could leave Barca as a free agent at the end of the season.
A move away from Camp Nou for the teenager is unlikely. However, as it stands, Gavi will have to wear his old shirt number – 30 – for the remainder of the campaign.
After a breakthrough season in 2021-22, Gavi has played 37 games for Barca this term, and his relegation in official status does not mean he cannot continue to play for Xavi's team.
Which three get your vote? Ferdinand, Toure, Neville, Terry and Fowler among 15 Premier League Hall of Fame nominees
Rio Ferdinand was "delighted" to be named among 15 nominees for the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Introduced in 2021, the Hall of Fame has inducted eight players in each of the past two years, adding managerial greats Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger on Wednesday.
Voting for the latest round of player inductees has begun, with greats nominated from across the last 30 years of the Premier League.
The 2023 class of inductees is dominated by defenders, including former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, ex-Chelsea skipper John Terry and Manchester United stalwarts Ferdinand and Gary Neville.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal duo Petr Cech and Ashley Cole are also nominated, along with ex-United defender Nemanja Vidic.
Midfielders Michael Carrick and Yaya Toure represent both sides of Manchester, with strikers Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen completing the list.
Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: "Delighted to be nominated again on the #PLHallOfFame. Few decent CBs [centre-backs] listed on the nominees."
The former England captain will be hoping it is third time lucky, having also been among the nominees in 2021 and 2022.
Fans can vote for three players they believe should be inducted, with voting open until 6pm BST on Monday, April 10.
Only three players will take their place among the greats this time around.
The shortlist has been reduced from 25 names previously to 15 and players are only eligible if their retirement was confirmed before 1 January 2023.
In order to be eligible, players must have made at least 250 Premier League appearances or made 200 league appearances for a single club, been selected in any Team of the Decade or 20-year Anniversary teams, won a Golden Boot or Golden Glove, been voted Player of the Season, won three titles or scored 100 goals or registered 100 clean sheets.
2023 nominees: Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Michael Carrick, Petr Cech, Andy Cole, Ashley Cole, Jermain Defoe, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Gary Neville, Michael Owen, John Terry, Yaya Toure, Nemanja Vidic.
Clippers star Westbrook makes the Grizzlies pay as Lakers look for revenge
The Los Angeles Clippers had Russell Westbrook in history-making form as they overcame the Memphis Grizzlies 141-132 on Wednesday.
Westbrook finished with a season-high 36 points and laid on 10 assists in the victory, which snapped Memphis' seven-game winning streak.
In the process, Westbrook became the first player in NBA history to have a 30-point and 10-assist game with five teams, having achieved the feat with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, the Washington Wizards, the Los Angeles Lakers and now the Clippers.
The sides will meet again in Memphis on Friday, with the Clippers having pulled away down the stretch on this occasion.
"Just being composed, as a point guard, I was taught the last five or six minutes of the game were very important," Westbrook said of the fourth quarter.
"Getting stops, getting good shots. We did a good job of executing down the stretch."
Westbrook's team-mate Robert Covington had a season-best 27 points, and he anticipates a tough run-in with plenty of teams in the playoff picture in the Western Conference.
"It's going to be tight," said Covington. "The West from four through 12 or 13 is like a three-game gap, something like that?
"Anything can happen. That's why these last five or six games for us are very important."
Another team pushing for a postseason place are the Clippers' city rivals the Lakers, who beat the Chicago Bulls 121-110.
Anthony Davis starred with 38 points and 10 rebounds, and believes the Lakers – eighth in the West – have what it takes to go on a deep run.
He said: "I think we've got everything we need. It's just about going out and applying it. We can definitely make a run. We've got all the right pieces from top to bottom.
"We owe this [Chicago] team. We owe Houston. We owe Minnesota. All these teams. Utah.
"So all these teams on this trip are teams that we lost to recently, and we want to get some get-back. And seeing as the situation that we're in, we need to win these games.
"So this is a time when we shouldn't shy away from the moment. We should embrace it and these are the moments that you live for as a player."
Davis' display garnered appreciation from coach Darvin Ham and superstar team-mate LeBron James.
"It all starts with A, man," Ham said, referring to Davis. "Him just playing with force, him not settling, putting pressure on the defense to foul, him just loving and living in the paint."
James added: "He always plays like that. Just got to kick him in the a** every now and then. But he always plays like that so I never worry about him."
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