Barcelona star Luis Suarez and Kylian Mbappe dominate narrative for Uruguay and France

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  • Of the eight teams who remain in the World Cup, not one possesses a player who has won the tournament or in fact has appeared in a final.

    But two sides with previous World Cup pedigree and a current crop of real thoroughbreds contest the opening quarter-final as Uruguay and France meet at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Friday (UAE time 18:00).

    The two-time winning South Americans have been a picture of consistency throughout the tournament and although Les Bleus flattered to deceive in the group stages, they sparked to life last time out against Argentina.

    Here, we examine some of the key questions ahead of the last-eight clash.

    CAVE WITHOUT CAV?

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    Pictures emerged this week of striker Edinson Cavani hobbling down the stairs of the team’s hotel and without him, Uruguay may well struggle to climb past France.

    The 31-year-old was outstanding during the 2-1 elimination of Portugal but the blot arrived in the second half as he was forced off with a thigh injury.

    Indeed, aside from his two goals, the Paris Saint-Germain star demonstrated why he is one of the world’s most complete forwards.

    He held the ball up superbly, dropped deep to support his midfield and made tackles while also pressing and bullying Portugal into mistakes before then producing the goods in front of goal.

    And the cerebral understanding Cavani’s developed with Luis Suarez is as much part of Uruguay’s identity as Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez are at the back.

    Uruguay’s solidity begins with the two frontmen as both run themselves into the ground for any long ball lumped forward and while the alternatives, Girona’s Cristhian Stuani or Celta Vigo’s Maximiliano Gomez, can replace the work ethic, they cannot offer the same finishing prowess.

    Naturally, pressure will fall on Suarez’s shoulders and it will be of great discomfort for boss Oscar Tabarez that he picked up a knock in training.

    The Barcelona predator is expected to be fit to face France but the prognosis for Cavani is far less favourable. Suarez, though, was his strike partner’s equal against Portugal and if the 31-year-old can replicate that display, La Celeste can win the battle of blues.

    WILL LIGHTNING FEET STRIKE TWICE?

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    A Kylian Mbappe shaped lightning bolt struck through the centre of a soft Argentina backline in the last-16 and the current of that electric performance sent shockwaves around the world.

    Credit must go to the boldness of Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps as his ploy to switch into a hybrid 4-4-2/4-3-3 with Blaise Matuidi as a left-sided centre-midfielder was designed to charge up the teenager.

    And the PSG forward was a space invader, gobbling up gaps as if he possessed some cheat code in his free-roaming role.

    Speed of feet and thought were of course his weapons as the 19-year-old earned a penalty then notched a brace, but as the conversation turns towards his future Ballon d’Or credentials, the tactical talking point now is whether can he do it again.

    Argentina’s suicidal centre-backs pushed up high against France and then practically fell over themselves as Mbappe ran at them.

    He is unlikely to be afforded the same room to move on Friday against arguably the most organised and compact defence in the tournament.

    Godin and Gimenez combine for a pairing which was the tightest in European club football at Atletico Madrid and the only difference in Russia is the colour of their kit.

    Piercing pace is blunted by a lack of space and few centre-backs defend pockets better than Godin. Add to that Paul Pogba won’t be granted the same time on the ball to ping long balls on the counter and Deschamps may well need to devise another route to goal.

    THROW THE DICE ON DEMBELE?

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    So what are the other options in France’s armory? Ousmane Dembele was dropped against Argentina to help alleviate Mbappe’s defensive responsibility but could be welcomed back.

    While the 21-year-old has mirrored his struggles for Barcelona for France, he does bring what could be a crucial quality – natural width.

    Making inroads through the middle could see France run into traffic but where they could find joy is out wide.

    Mbappe is more adept at drifting centrally than he is hugging the touchline but Dembele is practically married to it.

    He’s direct and tricky, both assets which could unsettle aging right-back Martin Caceres and therefore create the opening for either the head of Olivier Giroud or the guile of Antoine Griezmann.

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