Euro fever grips France, Portugal as final looms
“It would be great to neutralise him and we need to also limit his influence”.
Now there is a genuine sense of belief - among fans and players - that France can win its first trophy since Euro 2000 and a fourth major tournament title.
Barely six weeks after his Milan howler, Griezmann stepped up with confidence against arguably the best goalkeeper in the world - and promptly sent Neuer the wrong way as he smashed the ball into the top left-hand corner. As a defender, I’ll try to defend as I would with anybody else, leave as little space as possible and be as close as possible to intervene, while trying to anticipate. “He is an outstanding player, but I have to play in front of good players every day”.
This year, it’s the other way; the team are very well-organised, especially in defence, and credit must be given to Deschamps for his clear, albeit, strict, instructions. They are adaptable according to what they think will work best against particular opponents and they have changed the formation in the past.
Hugo Lloris had an inspired evening in-between the posts and the centre-back pairing of Samuel Umtiti and Laurent Koscielny was an impressive one.
“Koscielny has always been there”.
France’s recent years have been clouded by defeats and scandal, including a player strike at the 2010 World Cup.
As a coach, he is the same, and very, very strict with the instructions he gives to his players.
“I’m not surprised by Samuel Umtiti, compared to what he does”. I have not assumed. “I trust him”, he noted.
Deschamps said he wanted France’s rising star Antoine Griezmann to be on the world player of the year list but he would have to wait to get the honour.
In the Champions League final in May, Griezmann missed a first-half penalty for Atletico Madrid. That’s the kind of dedication he has to winning and to self-improvement but also, crucially, to not making the same mistake twice.
The Germany captain may well have played his last European Championships, with reports he is considering immediate retirement from the global game, but he did not touch on that in an open letter posted on the German Football Association’s Facebook page. There is a title at the end. But do not change what we used to do.
France have enjoyed a more straightforward run to the final, though they were made to sweat in coming from behind against the Republic of Ireland in the Round of 16.
“We had hard moments, but it’s like I always say - it’s better to start poorly and have a positive ending”.
As detailed by the Institut national de la statistique et des etudes economiques’ (INSEE) report from 2013 (in French), Portugal have the most people living in France of all European countries.
“All the French public is behind us”.
“You can’t simply buy time and experience, but (on Sunday) we have the chance to make history within French football”.
It’s fair to say that even in the knock-out stages, the Seleccao never really hit their stride until the semi-final win over Wales as below-par performances against Croatia and Poland saw them through only in Extra Time against Vatreni and on penalties against the White Eagles.