The France-Israel match, in the League of Nations, will be played in “a heavy and heavy context”, lamented Wednesday the coach of the Blues Didier Deschamps, on the eve of a meeting surrounded by an exceptional security system due to the conflict in the Middle East.
“We made sure to prepare for this match as normally as possible, but obviously, in the entire France group, no one can be insensitive to the context which is heavy and heavy,” said the French coach.
Deschamps did not discuss the issue with his players. “It is not by talking about extra-sporting subjects that we are going to move towards the objective, which remains sporting” and qualification for the quarter-finals of the League of Nations, he added.
Despite the low attendance promised, around 20,000 spectators only, the coach wants to “ensure that it remains a football match, despite everything”.
This “high risk” meeting, according to police prefect Laurent Nuñez, is surrounded by a very reinforced system with 4,000 police officers and gendarmes in and around the stadium and some 1,600 security agents.
The atmosphere was further weighed down by the events in Amsterdam on the night of November 7 to 8, where Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were chased after a European Cup match, attacks which left 20 to 30 injured and aroused the indignation of many Western capitals. Isolated incidents also broke out before the game, including anti-Arab chants chanted by Maccabi fans.
Captain Thursday evening, N’Golo Kanté said he did not perceive in the group any reluctance or embarrassment for a player to play a match in such a context.
“Since I arrived, I haven’t heard anything like that. The only thing I’ve heard is how to qualify,” said the midfielder.
As for his opinion on the question, “we know that we represent the French team, not necessarily our opinions”. “Afterwards, we all have personal opinions that we wish to share or not. Personally, I am a little saddened to see what is happening, but I hope that things get better,” concluded Kanté.
eba/gk
© Agence France-Presse
“We made sure to prepare for this match as normally as possible…
