UEFA EURO 2024
The “Equipe tricolore” is keeping its fans a little puzzled. France’s national football team, Austria’s first opponent in the European Championships in Düsseldorf on Monday, finished its preparations with a scoreless draw against Canada and lacked punch. Team manager Didier Deschamps, who rested the slightly injured superstar Kylian Mbappe, was unimpressed. “No, it wasn’t worrying,” explained Deschamps.
10.06.2024 19.00
Online since today, 7 p.m.
The media were critical of the performance in Bordeaux on Sunday evening. “L’Equipe” wrote of a “dismal French team” that was “held in check by Canada and at times even trembled in front of the 47th nation in the FIFA rankings. A slightly worrying performance, especially given the lack of ability to create chances eight days before the European Championship opener against Austria.” “There was a hint of discontent,” wrote “Le Monde.” “France is not always good,” said “Le Parisien.”
The fact that the broadcaster delayed switching to the Stade Matmut-Atlantique in Bordeaux to announce new elections in light of the events following the European elections also made headlines in the Grande Nation. Added to this was a rather dismal performance by Deschamps’ eleven against aggressive Canadians, who had been beaten 4-0 by the Netherlands, who were also group opponents of Austria and France, a few days earlier.
Reuters/Stephane Mahe France’s team boss Didier Deschamps is not worried about his team’s performance
“It’s normal that not everything works,” said Eduardo Camavinga of Champions League record winners Real Madrid. “We’ll have everything fine-tuned by next week.” On Monday in Düsseldorf, the superstar will also be able to play from the start again. Against the Canadians, Mbappe only came on in the final quarter of an hour and almost scored the winning goal with the last move.
Mbappe gives the all-clear
After the 2018 world champion and 2022 runner-up initially had back problems, a hematoma in his knee caused him problems after the 3-0 win against Luxembourg in the penultimate European Championship test match. However, Mbappe himself gave the all-clear after his brief appearance. “It’s going very well,” he said with a smile as he walked through the mixed zone. “L’Equipe”, on the other hand, was worried: “Based on what we’ve seen in the last ten days, it’s hard to imagine that Mbappe will arrive in Germany 100 percent fit for the start of the tournament.”
Before the French travel to their European Championship quarters in Bad Lippspringe near Paderborn on Wednesday, Deschamps gave his top-class squad another two days off. Then the tie should be a thing of the past. “The French team’s ability to develop into a solid and aggressive team in tournaments is well known,” wrote “Le Parisien”. France has won the European Championship twice, the last time 24 years ago. Deschamps was the team’s captain at the time.
