Vieira gets Domenech backing

France coach Raymond Domenech has given midfield enforcer Patrick Vieira a ringing endorsement and all but dismissed reports the 29-year-old might start the World Cup on the bench.

Domenech did not state categorically that Vieira would start against Switzerland on June 13 in Stuttgart but made it clear he was bemused at the media “trial” of one of six survivors of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning squad.