If all goes well, Thomas Meunier hopes to return to the Belgian team on the bench on Monday against France. The 32-year-old Trabzonspor (Turkey) full-back, recalled to Domenico Tedesco’s list, injured the back of his right knee (muscle injury) in the 15th minute against Luxembourg in a friendly in Brussels (3-0, June 8) . Then, he went to Antwerp to work on his rehabilitation after the verdict of the exams.
Back at the Belgian base camp this Monday, it gradually increases in intensity. And aspires to train collectively normally this weekend, then be available on Monday in Düsseldorf for the meeting against the Blues.
“France was presented as favorite for the Euro before the competition. How do you view this team now?
It remains a very good team. We’re not going to hide it. They have some pretty exceptional resources and talents. Their sporting wealth, not just in football, is simply sublime. But they finished 2nd. Like us, everything wasn’t perfect. We will have every chance. It will be beautiful. But 50/50 if you show will and enthusiasm.
What should the Red Devils bet on to beat the Blues?
One match is not like the next. If you score first against Slovakia (0-1), you can win 4-0. Against Romania (2-0), it was already better. Against Ukraine (0-0), we gave everything. Against Les Bleus, it will be sudden death. We have to play. We will not be able to control everything. But we will have to be offensive with a good team block. I think that Monday will be a pretty interesting match to watch. A different style of match. There is no more fear or dread that there could have been during our last group match. You give everything and/or you go out.
“The French team is not just Kylian (Mbappé). There is Dembélé, Griezmann, Barcola… Even the defense is exceptional. It’s a very complete group. »
How to master Mbappé who you know well?
I do have some ideas. I don’t want to give them an interview. He is exceptional. When you sign for Real Madrid, you’re a little out of the ordinary. But the French team is not just Kylian. There is Dembélé, Griezmann, Barcola… Even the defense is exceptional. It’s a complete group. The key will be mental. We will have to have a lot of aggression and no fear with the ball. There, we can thwart them.
The rivalry linked to 2018 (World Cup semi-final) and 2021 (Nations League semi-final) changes what for this round of 16 of the Euro?
I feel it a little less since I left Paris. At the time, I had it in my ear constantly. It’s still good-natured. These bickering is part of the game. Without ever the slightest excess, it’s important. For the rest, it won’t change much. It’s still a football match. If we beat France, they won’t have much right to boast. The past has written history. If they beat us, they will say it’s always the same thing with the Belgians.
Have you seen the Blues play and what do you think?
I think there is also room for improvement in them. We can still see the quality of the French team. Even at 70-80%, it remains a qualitatively impressive team. They are aware of their talents and their qualities. We have no choice but to be at 100% if we want to create something great. It’s hard to bet on a winner.
Given your open-mindedness and your knowledge of France, what do you expect on Monday?
It’s a match that will be like all the others between the two countries. There’s a touch of Didier Deschamps that is very present. The Dutch commentators who criticized France’s style of play must know that the Blues have always known how to control their matches. Even if they have had more complicated moments. The fact that their best player fails doesn’t mean that they play like Brazil in 2002 (world champion). They’re an intelligent team. We feel that they are well-oiled, well-thought-out. That’s why they are often in the last four of their international tournaments. It will be a complicated match, there’s no hiding it. We also have some qualities and a lot of fresh blood. You should see the quality of the training here, frankly, it’s something impressive. If we manage to reproduce that on Monday, we can have a great confrontation.”
