Zidane's training sessions perceived as more intense than Deschamps' by France players

France national team players are already feeling the difference. According to L’Équipe, French internationals perceive Zinedine Zidane’s training sessions as more intense than those of his predecessor Didier Deschamps — a shift in method that is beginning to weigh on club management.

The comparison is not insignificant. Deschamps led the Blues for more than a decade with his own physical demands; Zidane’s approach and his staff’s methods mark, in the eyes of the players, a notable increase in the intensity of sessions. The sports daily does not specify the exact nature of the exercises, but emphasizes that the perception is shared within the group.

This difference does not necessarily mean that “DD’s” methods were less rigorous. The intensity of a training session depends on many factors — phase of the season, management of physical load, tactical objectives — and the comparison above all reflects the novelty of the transition.

Paris Saint-Germain has already drawn conclusions from this new situation. Still according to L’Équipe, the Paris staff gave rest to Ousmane Dembélé by managing his workload during the home match against Mans on Saturday (3-1 victory), in part to account for the load imposed by the gathering with the Blues. In a particularly dense calendar, the recovery of internationals has become a central issue for clubs.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner should rejoin the Paris group for the trip to Manchester City on Wednesday, as part of the second day of the Ligue des Champions league phase.