Deschamps drops more detail about Lloris surgery plan

France coach Didier Deschamps says it was “necessary” for Hugo Lloris to undergo an elbow operation instead of taking a “wait and see” approach to his recovery. On Thursday it was announced that Lloris had undergone surgery on the elbow that he had fractured and dislocated when he landed awkwardly on his left arm in the third minute of Tottenham’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton on October 5. “Surgery was advised after consultation with specialists who found that the elbow remained unstable,” announced Tottenham in a statement.
The France captain was, of course, absent from Deschamps’ squad for Les Bleus’ Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova at the Stade de France next Thursday and away to Albania the following Sunday – November 17.
And the World Cup-winning coach offered his take on the decision to operate on the joint rather than let it heal naturally, which was the other course of action Spurs and Lloris could have taken. “It was discussed, it was more or less planned, it would not lengthen his [period of] unavailability,” said Deshamps at his press conference. “It was necessary to allow him to have a very good healing and consolidation, rather than wait and see in three to four months and then finally discover it needs to be reinterpreted.”
Lloris, however, will join up with the current squad on Thursday as Deschamps saying it is “important” to keep his captain in the fold as France, currently second in Group H, prepare for the matches which should seal their place in next year’s 24-team finals.
In the absence of Lloris, Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda is expected to start next week with Real Madrid back-up Alphonse Areola and Lille’s Mike Maignan on the bench.
Deschamps will be hoping the Spurs keeper has proven his fitness in time for France’s March friendlies against opponents that will be confirmed after the Euro 2020 finals draw is made in December.