Gallas: Stakes will be high

William Gallas maintains France are treating Wednesday night's match against England as more than just a friendly.

The clash at the Stade de France will be Les Bleus' last before coach Raymond Domenech names his 23-man squad for this summer's European Championships and they will be looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Spain last month, but there will be added spice due to the fact so many of the French squad play - or have played - in the Barclays Premier League.

Arsenal skipper Gallas is one of those and he said: "We know it is always a bit more tense between the English and the French. The stakes will be high, the stadium will be full. And in our heads, we can't just consider this as simply a friendly."

He added: "We appreciate each other, but we always want to show that we are better than them."

"For players who have played in England or who are still there, it is always an added motivation."

Other current Premier League players set to take some part in Wednesday night's match include Claude Makelele, Florent Malouda, Patrice Evra, Nicolas Anelka and Mathieu Flamini.

Anelka, who plays for Chelsea, could be partnered up front by David Trezeguet. The last time the pair played together was last September, in France's famous 1-0 defeat to Scotland at the Parc des Princes.

The Juventus striker has dismissed the theory his chances of making France's Euro 2008 squad are entirely dependent on his display against England.

"Even if this is the last game before the squad of 23 is announced, I don't feel I have to play a big match," said Trezeguet, the joint top scorer in Serie A this season.

"It isn't just based on this match that I am going to figure in the list or not. That's my opinion anyway. Domenech has been building his squad for a while now. He has a team in his head and you have to know how to accept it."