Rayan Cherki and Bradley Barcola were involved in a heated exchange during France's 3-1 Nations League defeat to Italy, but early reports of a dressing-room bust-up are not all they seem. The Manchester City playmaker and Liverpool summer signing were both selected by Zinedine Zidane for the trip to the San Siro, where France suffered their first defeat since the World Cup winner took charge.
Heated Exchange on the Pitch
According to RMC Sport, the Premier League rivals were involved in a heated exchange late in the first half after an on-field misunderstanding. It came after Pio Esposito cancelled out Michael Olise's early opener, with Esposito going on to net again in an eventual 3-1 Italy victory.
The same report claimed Cherki was visibly frustrated after emerging from the France dressing room following the match, though it appears it was more a case of disappointment at the result rather than with a particular team-mate. While other outlets have subsequently reported that Cherki stormed out of the dressing room after a bust-up with Barcola, that's not what came across in the initial report.
What the Initial Report Said
It read: "Heads down as they left the locker room, a very affected Malo Gusto, marked by his poor performance, an angry Rayan Cherki with a dark look, in line with some tensions that appeared on the pitch, notably a misunderstanding between him and Bradley Barcola at the end of the first half, when the match had started to turn around, after the Italian equaliser."
Despite the defeat, France are still in a healthy position in the UEFA Nations League. They take on winless Turkey in their final match, knowing a point will see them through to the quarter-finals and a win could yet be enough for them to progress as group winners.
Mixed Fortunes Under Zidane
Cherki and Barcola have had mixed fortunes with Les Bleus since Zidane took charge. The legendary former midfielder replaced Didier Deschamps, who left his role after a run to the World Cup semi-finals.
Barcola shone at the World Cup, with Liverpool prepared to spend big after watching him score three times in North America. He has yet to break his duck under Zidane, though, despite starting three of Zizou's five games in charge. Cherki had more of a fringe role under Deschamps but has asserted himself under Zidane. The 23-year-old already has a goal and two assists to his name during the current Nations League campaign.
"We didn't lack courage, on the contrary, we were in the game," Zidane said after the defeat in Italy. "But, defensively, we weren't as good. Without the ball, it wasn't enough. We crumbled after the break, we lost our composure, but that's part of the learning process. We'll analyse it. We'll focus on winning back possession. That's one of the things we need to work on. We all defended less well, but we'll continue with our playing principles."
