Terrible, cruel, unfortunate: the Blues will not play the Euro final on Sunday January 30 against Spain. As in 2021 during the Egyptian World Cup (32-26), France fell to Sweden. It’s sad yes, because after the incredible emotion of the match against Denmark this Wednesday (30-29), the Olympic champions seemed on cloud nine, unstoppable. “We will try to roll over everyone,” predicted captain Valentin Porte, before finding the Scandinavians. Alas, there was a grain in the fine machinery, a grain of yellow sand carried by a cold wind from the north.
No, it was definitely not necessary to underestimate these Swedes vice-world champions. The great homeland of planetary handball in the 1990s has once again become a nation that counts. And it’s been twice now that the Blues have broken their noses on her. A year ago it was at the foot of the Pyramids, this time it’s on the banks of the Danube. That’s a lot, that’s twice too many.
A cannon start to the match
These Blues made us dream but the awakening is painful. Of course at the time of the balance sheet, they can curse this damn virus which ruined all this Euro and prevented Kentin Mahé, positive for Covid, from holding his place in the semi-finals. We expected better this Friday, we hoped for a happier evening. The Invincibles were mistakenly thought to have done the hardest part against the Danes. We were wrong.
It all started well though. A year after the semi-final of the Egyptian World Cup, which saw Sweden send France to its studies (32-26), the Blues got off to a great start (5-2). But they let the Scandinavians nibble their delay (10-8) and even pass them, casually. And the slightly blunted Blues, who also played in white, returned to the locker room three goals behind (14-17). Let’s be honest, who at the time cared more than that? Four days earlier against the Danes reputed to be more formidable, France was five lengths behind. That didn’t stop him from winning in the end. Yes, but Sweden is not Denmark even if there is only an arm of the sea which separates them.
“We could go for an extension”
To still hope and believe in it until the end, it was necessary to quickly return to the score. It didn’t happen. Tired by two weeks of intense competition, weighed down by a disturbed preparation, a Covid which never let them go, the Blues have not caught up. Insolent with success, the Swedes played the bosses, leaving the Olympic champions two or three lengths behind them. Annoying because it seemed that the French lacked only twice nothing to make up the delay. A save from Vincent Gérard here, a flash from Dika Mem there, a goal from Ludovic Fabregas at the very last second. But all of that is still waiting.
At this time, it is too late. Handball is ultimately not such a simple sport: in the end, it’s not always France that wins. Alas. “It hurts, given the face of the game even if it was not our best game in defense. We gave everything we got and I’m disappointed for the guys. We could go for an extension, ”regrets Valentin Porte at the microphone of TF1.
The Blues will try to win the bronze medal on Sunday January 30 against Denmark, in a rematch of the last two Olympic finals. But there won’t be the same glitter.
