Placed under high protection since its arrival in France at the start of the week, the Israeli selection was able, for the first time, to publicly and directly express its feelings about the meeting, in a tense context, which awaits it on Thursday evening against the Blues.
In the amphitheater of the Stade de France, the larger-than-usual assembly, when it comes to following a press conference of an opponent of this caliber, said everything about the singular character of this meeting. you from League of Nations. Sporting interest is necessarily relegated to the background and the Israeli captain, Eli Dasa, has made no secret of the fact that it is difficult for him to conceal the geopolitical situation.
VideoIsrael football team trains under close surveillance
“It’s obviously not a simple situation,” he admitted. We cannot eliminate this from our lives. We must first remember that this is our reality. It's not the best period for us but we will try to represent our country in the best possible way by having a good match tomorrow. We want to thank the government for organizing security. We want to thank them for the calm established around us. »
Calm which does not prevent an ambient tension linked to the war in the Middle East and the violence in Amsterdam on November 7, which makes this opposition even hotter. And not easy to prepare for the 81st nation in the Fifa ranking.
“Is this a difficult meeting to prepare for? I think these days, using the word difficult is not adequate, says coach Ran Ben Shimon. Difficult is for the soldiers who fight to defend Israel. I don't want to use the situation as an alibi. I just try to focus on what I can handle and my team's play is one of that. The real difficulties are the people who encounter them and fight to defend the country. I separate the sport and the situation in the country. We will try to give everything to obtain the best possible result. »
Last in its group with no points on the clock, Israel is aware of the difficulties that await it against one of the best teams in the world. But she wants to draw strength and energy from the support of the 100 to 150 Israeli fans expected in the Stade de France parking lot to deliver an honorable performance after losing in the first leg (4-1).
Significant support for a selection now forced to play away in each of its matches. “Of course, it's not easy not to play at home. But we are happy to have hundreds of people who have the courage to come and support us abroad, emphasizes Dasa. It feels good to see supporters who come from different countries to encourage us. »
