EURO 2020: Deschamps wary of Germany attacking threat

Much has been made of the firepower Didier Deschamps has at his disposal ahead of France's tournament opener, with Karim Benzema set to line up alongside Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann in attack.

Published : Jun 14, 2021 23:03 IST , Munich

France coach Didier Deschamps during a press conference on June 14.
France coach Didier Deschamps during a press conference on June 14.
lightbox-info

France coach Didier Deschamps during a press conference on June 14.

France coach Didier Deschamps said it is not just his own side's attacking threat that can cause problems as he prepares to take on Germany at Euro 2020 in Munich on Tuesday.

Much has been made of the firepower Deschamps has at his disposal ahead of France's tournament opener against Germany, with Real Madrid's Karim Benzema back in the squad and set to line up alongside Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann in attack.

But Deschamps, who is looking to become the first person ever to win the World Cup and European Championships as player and manager this summer, said Germany has plenty of attacking options to worry his side's defence, too.

"There is individual quality in each position but the players can play in very different positions, they can be flexible, which is difficult to play against," Deschamps told a news conference on Monday.

"There are players like (Timo) Werner or (Leroy) Sane who have a very different playing style and tomorrow we will see who is playing in attack for Germany.

"Their attackers are important for the German team, and we have to try stop them having an impact on the game and how successful we are depends how we move and are positioned on the pitch."

READ |

France made an unconvincing start to the 2018 World Cup before going on to win the tournament, struggling past Australia with a nervy 2-1 victory in its opening group match.

Deschamps insisted that performance mattered little given the final outcome, and played down the significance of putting in a strong showing in the group opener.

"The reality is that the first match is important but it is not decisive, both teams have two more matches after this," Deschamps added.

"The quality of our opponent we face tomorrow turns the match into a fantastic encounter. We are two of the best teams in Europe, it is all about who can be clinical and take chances."

ALSO READ |

Speaking at the same news conference, France captain Hugo Lloris revealed his anguish at hearing former Tottenham Hotspur team mate Christian Eriksen had collapsed following a cardiac arrest on the pitch on Saturday, before being taken to hospital.

"We received information after training and we were worried and stressed out," Lloris said. "And then we got the note that he felt better.

"These are pictures that you don’t want to see. But you have to praise how the players reacted, how the fans reacted in a delicate situation. We have to say thank you to all those who helped him."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment