If he´s here, it means he´s fit to play – Pavard speaks on Bayern-France row over Hernandez

Lucas Hernandez would only link up with France’s national team if he was fully fit, says Bayern Munich team-mate Benjamin Pavard, who was reluctant to become embroiled in the club-versus-country row.

Versatile defender Hernandez was called up by Les Bleus for upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Iceland and Turkey despite missing Bayern’s past two Bundesliga matches with a knee injury.

Bayern were told by the French Football Federation (FFF) that Hernandez would have to travel to Paris for medical checks after the club initially refused to allow him to link up with the national team.

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic described himself as “irritated” by the FFF’s stance and Bayern doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt said Hernandez would not be fit to play.

France coach Didier Deschamps said he sympathised with Bayern’s concerns, but refused to rule out the possibility of Hernandez facing Iceland in Reykjavik on Friday.

Les Bleus se sont rassemblés à Clairefontaine pour entamer leur stage qui les verra affronter l’Islande et la Turquie dans le cadre des éliminatoires de l’Euro UEFA 2020 #ISLFRA #FRATUR #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/Bxa0uREFk3

— Equipe de France  (@equipedefrance) October 8, 2019

Club and international team-mate Pavard said he has been assured by Hernandez he is good condition, though preferred not to take sides in the row.

“If he’s here, it means that he’s fit. Bayern didn’t want to take any chances,” he told a news conference. 

“He tells me that everything is fine. After, what happens between Bayern and the France team, it’s not my problem. 

“When he goes on X-rays, I don’t know what Lucas has on his knees!

“He said he could play on one leg. It’s Lucas, we all know he’s a warrior. If he’s here, he can play.”