Six days after the Champions League final at the Stade de France between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid, France and Denmark faced each other in Saint-Denis on Friday evening. Lucas Hernández and Kingsley Coman started for the 2018 World Cup winners but couldn't prevent a surprise 2-1 home defeat to start their UEFA Nations League Group A1 campaign. The third Bayern player in the Équipe Tricolore squad, Benjamin Pavard, spent the game as un unused substitute. CL winners Real Madrid's Karim Benzema put the home side ahead with a wonder strike on 51 minutes, but Denmark's Andreas Cornelius came off the bench to turn the game around for the visitors (68'/88'). France will now play Croatia (6 and 13 June) and Austria (10 June).
Even Bayern whirlwind Kingsley Coman couldn't prevent the home defeat against Denmark.
Sabitzer scores on Rangnick's debut
Marcel Sabitzer got off to a successful start with Austria in the Nations League: on new boss Ralf Rangnick's debut, the visitors beat runners-up Croatia 3-0 in Osijek. Marko Arnautovic (41') opened the scoring and Michael Gregoritsch followed up with a second on 54 minutes, before Bayern midfielder Sabitzer wrapped things up with a third just three minutes later (57'). The 28-year-old - who sported the captain's armband in the second half - fired a long-range thunderbolt from more than 20 metres into the far corner. Rangnick's side's next two internationals will be against Denmark (6 and 13 June) and 2018 World Cup winners France (10 June).
Stanišić loses with the Croatia U21s
A bitter defeat for Josip Stanišić and Croatia's U21 national team: In the race to qualify for the U21 European Championship, the group leaders were beaten 3-2 by Norway. The 22-year-old Bayern defender was in the starting XI and was substituted at half-time. Stanišić wasn't the only player from Munich in the Croatian line-up, however: 18-year-old talent Gabriel Vidović from the FC Bayern reserves was on the bench. The last matchday in the qualifying campaign is on 8 June, when the U21s visit bottom side Estonia where they'll be looking to defend their lead at the top of group A.
All internationals at a glance:
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