France coach Didier Deschamps admits that his side will struggle to stop Cristiano Ronaldo when they meet on Saturday in an international friendly.
The 29-year-old may have struggled in the World Cup this summer for his country, but his form so far this season for club side – Real Madrid, has been breathtaking, scoring 13 goals in six league games.
Ronaldo, who will be looking to send a message to the international footballing world on Saturday when his country meet France is fresh on the mind of France boss Didier Deschamps, who admits that it will be hard to stop the former Manchester United forward.
“It’s complicated,” said the France coach. “This is a player who has a very high efficiency. The people who will come to the stadium will be happy to see him. I do not know if he will play or how long he will play since Portugal has an important game three days later.
“It takes a special attention, of course. In one against one, he manages to make a difference. Limiting his influence to his team is something important but it also allows more freedom for those who are around him.”