5 big matches to watch out for this international week

3. Bulgaria v France, October 7

The French national squad has enviable depth

When France missed out on World Cup 94, they did so because they lost a last-minute goal at home against Bulgaria. Their qualification had seemed almost assured when they went to Israel with two matches of the group stage remaining, yet Michel Platini’s side blew things entirely.

Now Didier Deschamps, with a group of world-class players at his disposal, stands in a similar position but this time the weight of history weighs heavy on his side’s shoulders.

Les Bleus are expected to win handsomely in Sofia – a match that would go a long way to assuring their place at the finals, but life is complicated by a number of injury problems, with Paul Pogba, Benjamin Mendy and Ousmane Dembele among those sidelined.

Failure before a home meeting with Belarus is unimaginable, but then again France do have a reputation of struggling when the chips are down.