This is a welcome return for the French women’s football team. After nearly a year and a half of absence due to a serious knee injury, Bleues star striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto will be part of the Bleues for the next two Nations League matches against Austria and Portugal. Injured in the middle of Euro 2022, the 25-year-old striker was forced to miss the 2023 World Cup in Australia, not being sufficiently recovered.
Hervé Renard had not called her back in September or October, during the two previous gatherings of the French team. “It took him time to get back into the rhythm,” the French coach just explained this Friday, when unveiling his list. She still hasn’t played a full match, you have to be patient with Marie. She does good things, she is capable of progressing, we will support her in the best way so that she can bring us her many qualities in the near future. »
Sandy Baltimore out after foot injury
In October, “it was still a little early to call her back,” he said during the previous gathering. The former Saudi Arabia coach then indicated “give a little time” to Marie-Antoinette Katoto to return to the highest level after her long unavailability. Since her return to the field in September with PSG, after a blank season, she has scored two goals in nine appearances, including last weekend in D1 against Fleury (2-1), but therefore without ever playing 90 minutes. Thursday evening at the Jean-Bouin stadium, she failed to find the fault during the Champions League shock lost again by PSG against Bayern Munich (0-1).
Marie-Antoinette Katoto will find at her side in the blue jersey the inevitable Lyonnaise Eugénie Le Sommer, but not her Parisian teammate Sandy Baltimore, injured in one foot. “MAK” could help the French, currently first in their group, to validate their ticket for the final phase of the Nations League. In the event of a victory on December 1 (9:10 p.m.) against Austria in Rennes, in a sold-out Roazhon Park, the Blues will qualify. The teammates of Wendie Renard and Amandine Henry, summoned again following her arrival for a few months at Losc, will then travel to Portugal on December 5 (7:15 p.m.), for the last match of this qualifying campaign. This will be the final meeting in 2023, before moving on to a crucial Olympic year. With the Paris 2024 Olympics where Marie-Antoinette Katoto hopes to find the light for good.