After almost a week in Germany and a troubled context, the French team begins this Monday evening against Austria (9 p.m.). A first meeting to launch a campaign to end the 24-year wait for a continental coronation.
In Germany, sausages are not the only thing that takes too long. Time also stretches far too much. Under Paderborn’s gray skies, it seemed endless for the players on the French team who arrived Wednesday at this hotel in Bad Lippspringe, where the usual guests prefer crappie to Play-Station. But the Blues have finally left their den and will finally be playing football this Monday. After a fight that some would prefer they didn’t fight, they will finally return to the field. And a match against an Austria that is far too “underrated”, insisted Didier Deschamps, but that we also have to beat today in Düsseldorf.
Also read:
INTERVIEW. European Championship 2024: “Now Mbappé can play free…” rejoices Élie Baup on the eve of the Blues’ entry into the competition
Everything is a bit mixed up at the start of the Euros, from politics to sports and vice versa. But it is time for the Blues to refocus on the hope of inventing a destiny as successors to Platini, with the title in 1984, or Zidane and Deschamps, in 2000, the only two French crowns on the continent. Here, too, the wait was long enough. “Twenty-four years is huge for a country like ours,” whispered Kylian Mbappé, captain and heir-apparent.
“Get Out of the Grip”
Except that the friendlies against the formidable Luxembourg, spread (3-0), and the impressive Canada (0-0), did not really set the tone for so many “unfinished” meetings, described Olivier Giroud at the beginning of his time. last adventure in the selection. Ironically, and the former Montpellier player is the best example, these trial runs reminded us that this team has to suffer to be good and above all to win, which is what it has generally done best in recent years . “It’s a booster shot. Now we’re ready,” assured Benjamin Pavard this week.
Also read:
Austria v France at Euro 2024: intensity, RedBull formation, outsider, what can Blues’ first opponent Austria do?
It will be necessary, a far cry from the two defeats conceded against Germany in September 2023 (2-1) and last March (2-0). It will be necessary to respond to these Austrians’ “counter-pressure”. Descendants of Mozart or Beethoven led by a rather unusual conductor, a bespectacled professor, Ralf Rangnick, who likes nothing more than to get into other people’s bacon.
Also read:
European Championship 2024: “My favorite France!” Former German legend tipped Les Bleus to be next European champions
“I have seen almost all the EC matches and the common feature is the very high intensity, and Austria has this strength, to put a lot of intensity, of pressure”, emphasized the coach yesterday. “We will have to get out of this predicament,” warned Marcus Thuram, who could not escape the seven games in a row without a setback from the “Rot-Weiss-Roten” (Red-White-Red) and appetite for this selection led by Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.
Doubts about chasing away
Blues knows everything about this Austria. They have “eaten with” her in recent weeks, smiled Antoine Griezmann. It is now a matter of swallowing it without chewing. So much to stop making a mountain out of it because the Copacabana is not yet in Vienna, as to justify this status as a favorite, which escorts the Tricolores, unfortunate finalists in 2016, but also at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. “It fits through one ear and comes out the other”, swept Ousmane Dembélé.
Also read:
Euro 2024: The French Football Federation asked to “avoid any kind of pressure and political use of the French team”
In the land of Fortuna Düsseldorf, the local club, the varying fortunes of the managers nevertheless disturb the surrounding serenity. Around Kylian Mbappé, for whom a blow in the preparation was worth an extensive preparation at the end of a season which was to the extreme. Around Aurélien Tchouaméni, too tight to start after his broken foot. Or Adrien Rabiot, weaned from matches for a month due to muscle fatigue. And finally around an asymmetric system in defence, with Théo Hernandez higher up on the left, who has yet to spark. “We have prepared more tactics, not just this one,” assured the Milan full-back.
Also read:
Euro 2024: from his last European failure to his complicated season at the club, how Mbappé wants to chase his ghosts in Germany
France and Europe are just waiting to see now. Because it’s time to play football to hope for a festive 14th of July. And trade union(s).
Let the waiting stop and the music begin.
