Present at a press conference this Saturday before the clash between France and Belgium on Monday (6 p.m.), Johan Bakayoko looked back on the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup between the two teams.
The clash between France and Belgium is fast approaching. The two teams will meet in the last 16 of the Euro this Monday at 6 p.m. This will be the third confrontation in six years between the Red Devils and the Blues in the final phase of an international competition. The French team beat Belgium 1-0 in the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup thanks to a goal from French defender Samuel Umtiti.
After this match, many Belgian players expressed their ‘seum’. For them, Belgium deserved to win the match since it had dominated possession. “We are losing against a team that is not better than us, and that does not play”, notably ranted goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois just after the match.
A few days before the round of 16 between France and Belgium, Johan Bakayoko was questioned at a press conference this Saturday about this famous semi-final of the 2018 World Cup. “I remember it very well. I was in a lot of pain like all the Belgians. Belgium could and should have won. But that’s another debate. Being part of this team that has the chance to play another round of 16 against France is beautiful personally,” he declared to the press.
“A good derby”
This meeting between the Blues and the Red Devils promises to be explosive. On the Blues side, the players are confident before the clash. In a video posted this Friday on the X account (formerly Twitter) of the French football team, Youssouf Fofana spoke before the match. “In view of the quality of the group, there are obviously expectations but we don’t put more pressure on ourselves than that. We have objectives and we will try to achieve them. I know that there is a liability (with Belgium , editor’s note), so it’s going to be a good derby. They’re third in the FIFA rankings, they’re just behind us. It’s going to be a good duel. They’re going to respond, but in midfield. we have elements that they don’t necessarily have. We have to show this solidity that we have shown since the start of this competition,” declared the French international.
