France’s women will step into Laval on Saturday night with the international calendar briefly stripped of its usual pressure. Laurent Bonadei intends to use the friendly against Latvia, kicking off at 21:00, as a controlled test of his squad rather than a full-scale dress rehearsal.
Bonadei plans wholesale changes in Laval
- Bonadei confirmed that Constance Picaud-Inconnu will start in goal against Latvia.
- Pauline Peyraud-Magnin will then take over for the other half, with each goalkeeper scheduled to play one period.
- The France coach plans numerous substitutions at half-time, retaining only two players after the break.
- His intention is to give almost every member of the reduced squad playing time during the same match.
All players are available after what Bonadei described as a productive training week, with no fitness concerns reported before Saturday’s game.
The coach said the friendly format gives France the chance to make extensive changes and effectively squeeze the work of two matches into one. His players are entering a period between seasons after heavy workloads with their clubs, making rotation a way to preserve match rhythm while limiting injury risk.
Two prepared teams, one France identity
Bonadei does not expect the volume of substitutions to make the match disjointed. France have trained with separate plans for the first and second halves, involving two different line-ups, while maintaining the same collective principles.
“It is still the France team,” Bonadei said. “It will be interesting to see how the players adapt to different tactical instructions and possibilities, depending on the profiles used in each half.”
The only player who will not feature is third goalkeeper Alice Pinguet. With Picaud-Inconnu and Peyraud-Magnin sharing the match, there is no remaining place in goal for her.
World Cup preparation begins without urgency
France have already qualified directly for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will run from 24 June to 25 July. Bonadei noted that only four teams earned direct qualification, allowing his side to approach the coming friendlies without the immediate tension of a play-off.
- France face Latvia in Laval on Saturday.
- Bonadei’s side will play three further friendlies during the next international gathering.
- The coach plans to select a broader group next time, after choosing a smaller squad for the current camp in order to maximise minutes for those called up.
For now, Bonadei is refusing to look too far ahead to the World Cup. The immediate objective is to assess familiar faces again, examine other options and use a rare run of friendlies to build quietly towards the next stage.
