The 2000 European champion is top of Group D with 13 points from six games before it visits Albania on Friday and Romania on Tuesday. Belarus is one point behind having played a game more.

“We are aware of the stakes,” France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said. “Those are two important matches that will perhaps help us get closer to qualifying.

“We will play those two matches to take six points, even though we realize it will be difficult.”

Albania and Romania have eight points each and still have a chance to qualify, but they are up against a France side high on confidence after an unbeaten run of 11 matches.

“France is the favorite in this group,” Albania defender Lorik Cana told the French federation website. “They should logically finish in first place even though I didn’t think they would lose so many points against Belarus. That doesn’t help us since Belarus is our direct rival.”

Albania is still undefeated at home where it beat Belarus and Luxembourg and drew with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Albania always wants to beat France because that would be a feat for them,” France coach Laurent Blanc said. “It’s up to us to be careful.”

Blanc has mostly relied on the pair of centerbacks formed by Philippe Mexes and Adil Rami to anchor the defense in this qualifying campaign.

But AC Milan defender Mexes is recovering from a knee injury and is therefore not available while Valencia defender Rami is suspended for the Albania match.

France is also missing Paris Saint-Germain defender Mamadou Sakho, who picked up a hamstring injury.

That gives Blanc very little choice at centerback. Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul and Barcelona defender Eric Abidal are most likely to lead the defense in Albania as both started in the friendlies against Chile three weeks ago and against Poland in June.

“We mustn’t let them play and get more confident,” France midfielder Yohan Cabaye said. “It will be important to hold the ball and quickly show them that they have no chance.”

Also on Friday, Belarus hosts Bosnia-Herzegovina while Romania visits Luxembourg.

Belarus will miss through injury Aleksandr Yurevich, Vitali Rodionov, Alexander Hleb, Yan Tigorev, Anton Amelchenko, Dmitri Molosh and Vitali Kutuzov.

Yet that hasn’t stopped Belarus coach Bernd Stange backing his team to emerge with a positive result.

“It is very easy to motivate the players as they know this could be their last chance to qualify for a major finals tournament and they have to get it right, here and now,” Stange told the UEFA website.

Bosnia-Herzegovina is in third place with 10 points and will rely on Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko and Lyon playmaker Miralem Pjanic to make the difference.

Last weekend, Pjanic netted a goal and had an assist in Lyon’s 2-1 win over Montpellier in the French league while Dzeko scored four goals in Manchester City’s 5-1 rout of Tottenham in the Premier League.

“Our rivals have shown quality but we have players who are capable of winning both matches,” Bosnia-Herzegovina coach Safet Susic told the UEFA website.

Bosnia-Herzegovina plays Belarus twice in five days.