Franck Ribery has admitted he owes a lot to Laurent Blanc as he continues his international comeback against USA on Friday.
France midfielder thankful to Blanc
Franck Ribery has admitted he owes a lot to France manager Laurent Blanc as he continues his international comeback against USA on Friday.
Ribery was given a three-match ban for his part in the off-field drama at last summer's World Cup and only returned to action for Les Bleus in March.
He is in contention to start in Paris against Jurgen Klinsmann's USA and has vowed to repay the faith shown in him by Blanc and assistant coach Jean-Louis Gasset.
"When a coach really trusts me, I will give him everything I have," the Bayern Munich midfielder said in L'Equipe.
"My comeback in the France team was a very good thing for me. Even if I have not played my best games at that moment, the fact that I returned changed a lot of things.
"I know I owe them a lot.
"We, (Patrice) Evra and myself, were almost banned from the French team.
"What the coach did is great. I want to give back on and off the field."
Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, Florent Malouda of Chelsea and Marseille's Loic Remy are all expected to miss the clash with USA due to injury, while Manchester City playmaker Samir Nasri has already been ruled out.
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