DIDIER DESCHAMPS wants France to make history — not write yet another chapter of misery.

Les Bleus face favourites Germany in Marseilles for a place in the Euro 2016 final.

History favours the Germans, who beat France in the 1982 and 1986 World Cup semi-finals and in the 2014 quarter-final when Mats Hummels — suspended for today's clash — scored.

But Deschamps, a 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winner with France, believes his players will not be affected by their German jinx.

He said: "We will not change history but we have a new page to write.

"And my players can. It is blank, it will be filled in tomorrow.

"What happened before does not count, what counts is tomorrow.

"We must believe in the players, the fans also. I've always had confidence in them. It is where we want to be.

"The players deserve the semi-final even if everything was not straight-forward. Now it's a different story. It is Germany, the best of them all."

The France boss did not dwell on Germany's absences: injured duo Mario Gomez and Sami Khedira plus banned centre-back Hummels.

Deschamps added: "Everything will depend on which team Germany will put out. It will be a power struggle.

"Germany are always used to gaining control, to have the ball more than their rival. But we cannot approach this game in not thinking about winning. We have a chance and we will defend our chance without lacking respect for the world champions who have made the best impression from the start of the tournament."

Skipper Hugo Lloris was adamant the 2014 defeat is not still in the minds of the French players.

And he claimed Les Bleus are a much improved side to the one that narrowly lost in Brazil to eventual champions Germany.

The Tottenham star said: "The feeling is different. What happened in the World Cup is in the past. This is a different competition, a Euro semi-final.

"We lost to a stronger team that had more experience than us and went on to actually win the competition.

"It wasn't just the defeat to Germany that made us grow as a team. It was a great experience as a whole, both on human and playing terms.

"Our team has evolved and grown and learnt from the experience."

Lloris issued a rallying cry for the French public, with the whole country gripped by today's semi-final.

He said: "The vast majority of fans inside the Velodrome will be French, naturally. We play at home and we have to win this match.

"We have to give everything to look for a place in the final.

"We know our public will be behind us and hope to live a great and intense moment together."

Deschamps is expected to recall Adil Rami and N'Golo Kante, who served their suspensions against Iceland.

It means Samuel Umtiti and Moussa Sissoko are likely to drop to the bench.

Lloris added: "I guarantee you that whoever is selected tomorrow we will all follow the coach's choice because we have a common objective — and that is to go through."

Deschamps made a special appeal to the French fans, who will outnumber the G
ermans three-to-one in the restructured 67,000- capacity Stade Velodrome.

The former France skipper played for Olympique Marseille and also managed them to their first title in 18 years before leaving to take charge of his national side four years ago.

And he knows the Marseilles crowd are the most fanatical in France and will create an explosive atmosphere tonight.

Deschamps added: "There is a real momentum. Our fans will be needed because we will have difficult times and their support is important.

"Here it is even more expressive than elsewhere. It's a semi-final so a particular context."

And Lloris also appealed to the Marseilles massives to egg France on.

The captain added: "Wherever we play, the fact it is in France is positive. One can feel this passion, the

pride of blue since the beginning of the tournament.

"Marseilles is special because there is a lot of enthusiasm. We hope they will raise our level, to give us this small percentage to create success.

"Since the beginning, the group is calm, serene and focused. We have had a very good tournament — we avoided the traps.

"These games allow you to write history, like other prior generations. We are focused on our performance because we are facing the world champions."