Harmony, rotation, and caution: Deschamps to face Colombia with new forces

Another well-played movement, and France's World Cup symphony will be one step closer to completion.

The first note rang out just fine in Foxborough, near Boston, where Les Bleus edged Brazil 2-1 a few nights ago. Now comes the finale of this American overture - a meeting with Colombia in Washington, kicking off at 10 pm.

Praise followed the win over the Selecao. Some already see France as the team to beat at this World Cup. But Didier Deschamps is not getting carried away. Conducting a group of virtuosos, he knows, is never simple, and even the smallest wrong note can disrupt the harmony.

March friendlies have offered France the perfect testing ground. Combinations, rotations, ideas - all on display. Still, the final decisions on the World Cup squad for the tournament across the United States, Mexico and Canada will only be made on May 14.

And this time, the lineup will look different.

There will be no Dayot Upamecano, sent off against Brazil and subsequently released to return to Bayern Munich ahead of a crucial stretch of club fixtures. Others will rotate in, as Deschamps continues to explore depth rather than settle early.

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Despite the growing hype, the message inside the camp remains clear: stay grounded.

"If you say we are the best team in the world because we beat Brazil, then of course we'll be ambitious," Deschamps said. "But first, we have to think about the group stage - Senegal, Iraq or Bolivia, and Norway. The road to the top is long."

He was equally clear that the Colombia match is not a defining audition.

"No one is fighting for their place tonight. Players can earn things, but they won't lose everything because of this game. There will be more matches, and we'll continue to follow them at the club level."

Adrien Rabiot is being rested after a knock, while others like Ousmane Dembele and Aurelien Tchouameni carry minor issues. Opportunities are expected for players such as Eduardo Camavinga and N'Golo Kante.

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Colombia, meanwhile, arrive after a narrow defeat to Croatia but with belief intact.

Coach Nestor Lorenzo insists his side is growing, even if results haven’t fully reflected it. Midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero called the match "a perfect test", while Jhon Arias believes Colombia have enough quality to trouble the favourites.

Deschamps agrees on one thing - this will be no formality.

"Colombia are a very good team. They were ahead of Brazil in qualifying. We respect them, just as we respected Brazil."