That is one of the great satisfactions of this start of the euro. Head of the central defense that he forms with William Saliba under the shirt of the French team, Dayot Upamecano was present at a press conference on Thursday afternoon in Paderborn. Ahead of next Monday’s round of 16 tie against Belgium in Düsseldorf, the Bayern Munich player claimed to have gained confidence and expressed his composure. According to him, the Blues have the weapons to continue to advance in this tournament provided they remain united.
Have you revisited the act of punishment you inflicted on Poland and do you have any regrets?
DAYOT UPAMECANO. I saw her again right after the match. It’s true that it went a little too fast, I could have done better. If I let Lewandowski manage, he could have been in front of goal. You have to make decisions, it goes quickly and I made the choice to put my foot down. It was a bit complicated, but now I’m looking forward to it.
Are the attack problems worrying you?
No, I think that during the three games we got a lot of action. We missed this goal, but we are strong offensively. You are free to say what you want. I tell you the team is doing well, we want to win against Belgium and go as far as possible in the competition. We could have done better, but I am convinced that will be the case in the next game.
How is the distribution of tasks with William Saliba in central defence?
I have no more responsibility than him, we talk a lot during matches or before. He has tremendous confidence. That’s the rest of his season with Arsenal. I hope it continues like this. I am well supported with a very good goalkeeper and William who radiates power.
What do you think of Romelu Lukaku?
We all know Lukaku, we all know what he can do, he scores a lot of goals. He is physically above average. He doesn’t play alone. He’s a dangerous weapon, but we don’t just play against him. They have a lot of experience.
How do you rate this rivalry with Belgium?
We have no pressure. We met them a lot, we beat them, now it’s a different game. They want to beat us. They are the neighbors! We will be ready for this meeting and do everything to win this match.
Do you think twice when you make a mistake?
Before yes, now no. I try to move on to the next action, the mistake is made, so I try to get back to it quickly. I think straight to the next action. I gained confidence and it is thanks to the coach.
Is the criticism of the Blues justified?
In our profession there is always. You have to see how you take them. It doesn’t affect me, I try not to look too closely at what is said about me. I prefer to focus on myself.
Why are you so calm?
Playing in the round of 16 is not for everyone. The most important thing is that we are a group. If the group lives well, everything will go well because we have qualities.
How does Antoine Griezmann feel morally?
He is our second captain, he is in a very good state of mind, he encouraged us a lot before the match against Poland, he is smiling. This is an example for all of us here. We are a group, everyone wants to play, that’s for sure. Some may not be happy when they don’t start. We must stand together.
What do you think of Didier Deschamps in this tournament?
(He laughs). It feels very good, I don’t see what this answer will do for you. It’s the same as normal. He is a person who is very important to me and the team. Now we must listen to his instructions and do everything to achieve victory.
In your opinion, would a Belgian player have a place in the French team?
They have what it takes, we have what we need!
