Didier Deschamps answered questions from the media on the eve of France-Belgium in the round of 16 of the Euro on Monday.
Special correspondent in Düsseldorf
And The Blues will be in 4-4-2 diamond against Belgium
“Were you at training this morning? I’m not going to comment on what we did and didn’t do. I try to put a team that seems to me to be in the best position to put the opponents in difficulty. Some say that I change and that I haven’t found… I don’t change for the sake of change, I can make changes. In all transparency, you take a fixed image of a team in such and such a system and it won’t be the same. The important thing for me is in the occupation of the zones, with the objective of putting all the players in the best position. That’s part of the game that you were breaking down.”
Preparing for a penalty shootout
“We were especially lucky, or successful, to have knockout matches, where we won after 90 minutes. The penalty shootouts, yes, we prepare for them. But between what you can predict and what happens. In 2022 (World Cup final in Qatar, Editor’s note)I had made seven changes… My goal is to make sure I don’t go that far.”
It’s very hard for everyone, teams that can be considered small, that plays a role
Didier Deschamps
The difference between group match and the round of 16
“These are not group matches, it is a new competition because there is no catching up possible in anything. We created a lot of chances, we have to be efficient, without fixating on that. All the great scorers have experienced this at some point. We must increase the slider, because opposite we will have solidity and quality.
Are the Blues ready to wake up?
“My players didn’t sleep, they never slept. The group has always been concerned and attentive. Honestly, I have a very large group. I’m the one who chose it, I’m not going to say otherwise. As in any team, players are disappointed because they didn’t play a minute. There is a shift and a greater demand. To be concretized and materialized on the field.”
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The level of the Euro
“It’s very hard for everyone, the teams that can be considered small, they play. Apart from the two teams that went through after two matches, Spain and Portugal, and who were able to manage the third, the others played an important third match. It’s a high level. The biggest teams on paper are trying to stay up. But the others, they work, they put in a lot of intensity. The temperature today is better than that of the last match but it leads to more uncertainties.”
