Deschamps talks up Nasri recall

France coach Didier Deschamps says he has no issues with Samir Nasri after including the attacker in his squad for their upcoming friendlies.

The Manchester City man last played for France in a 2-0 loss to Spain at Euro 2012 before being banned for three matches for misconduct.

Deschamps said it was the right time to recall Nasri as his side prepare to face Uruguay and Brazil in June.

“The most important thing for me about Samir Nasri is his competitive nature and his spirit. He recognised that he has missed a few games and made mistakes,” Deschamps said.

“Much of the season through his injuries, he has not played for his club side. The past few weeks, he became powerful, even decisive with his club, and therefore he became more selectable for the national side.

“I never had any problems with him as a player. There are some things that happened and no-one can ignore them.

“However, we have to move on and right now it seems logical to me to include him as part of this group of players.”

Nasri launched an expletive-laden rant at reporters after France were eliminated from Euro 2012 in the quarter-finals.

Deschamps said Nasri’s form in the English Premier League and ability warranted a return to the national side.

“The most important thing is the football itself and Nasri is a part of that. All our games in international football are competitive and he meets this criteria for selection very well,” he said.

“I need to get a clear thought and committed performance from all of my players and I expect that from them when we play our friendlies. We need to forget about what happened before.”