The corner of the blues
The Blues indulge in One, we play the game of seven differences. Four years ago in Russia, Didier Deschamps and his players walked a tightrope loaded with TNT bread before the round of 16 against Argentina. Because Argentina, of course, but mostly because they had produced two heartbreaking matches and an absolute purge, and you really had to squint to picture them with gold confetti pasted on their beaming faces two weeks later. In Qatar, a relative torpor accompanies the French team in its first cleaver meeting (4pm, TF1 and beIN). Because Poland, of course, but above all because the mastery shown by the eleven majors in the first two outings prevailed over the mush of bewildered sparring partners against Tunisia.
The Blues will go to Al-Thumama stadium this Sunday afternoon with a beacon of favorites in front of the bus. And this has rarely been a comfortable status for them. At the same stage of the competition against Paraguay in 1998 and Nigeria in 2014, we had to be patient. More contemporary, they remain en route to the Euro against Switzerland. That evening they learned that they could be world champions, leading by two goals with ten minutes to go, and pack their bags the same evening. Didier Deschamps does not see “of no interest” dwell on the past but it will still be useful.
Poland hasn’t upset so far and this is a reason to be wary of this World Cup open to five continents. She only had four shots on target but she’s still there when Germany have found the target twenty-four times and have already left Qatar. Hugo Lloris, who will join Lilian Thuram at the top with 142 caps, believes that this Polish team “he takes great pleasure in suffering.” Not masochistic but very well equipped with Wojciech Szczesny in the cages and Robert Lewandowski to punish.
Composition : Lloris (target) – Koundé, Varane, Upamecano, Hernandez – Rabiot, Tchouaméni, Griezmann – Dembélé, Giroud, Mbappé
To read the long version of this brief, click here
it wasn’t his day
Against Argentina, Australian goalkeeper Matt Ryan started the night shaking hands with Lionel Messi, the other captain. As soon as he put on the gloves, the situation got worse. At 1-0 he literally offers the ball to Julian Alvarez who didn’t ask for much to worsen the score in favor of the albiceleste. True, there was not even a defender to save goalkeeper Ryan.
Read also – World Cup: For Argentina, it’s all about Messi
Finally, the blunder is all the more cruel as the opposite goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, rejected the Wallabies’ last attempt in a decisive and very photogenic gesture, which should be found on the front page of some Argentine newspapers.
Sunday program
France-Poland (16:00, TF1 and BeIN)
England-Senegal (20 hours, TF1 and BeIN)
The numbers of the day
1 million
According to Fifa, its Fan Festival located at Al Bidda Park has passed the one million visitor mark since it opened the day before the first match of the World Cup. This 145,000 square meter space with a capacity of 40,000 located along Doha’s Corniche welcomed an average of 70,000 people a day. Games are shown there on giant screens, the 50 riyal (€13) pint of beer flows freely and concerts can draw crowds. Gims performed there on Saturday, Calvin Harris is due next week.
24
It might just be a number to you, but it means a lot to them. For the first time in decades, a Seleçao player wore the number 24. Due to the expansion of the rosters, of course, but not only… This number is associated with the deer in the “jogo do bicho” (game of the beast ), old clandestine lottery. Animal itself associated with homosexuality in Brazilian popular culture. In short… Defender Gleison Bremer had that honour.
Felt in Qatar
” You can spell it ? “ Half a dozen British journalists made the request on Saturday before the press conference in Senegal. ” It “ ? BOGAERT, for Régis Bogaert, Aliou Cissé’s deputy. The manager, who has been suffering for two days, left the affable but unknown Lille resident to answer questions twenty-four hours before the round of 16 against the Three Lions. Our colleagues had a hard time cashing in on the unexpected casting. The assistant is already disappointing, but in addition it is the substitute goalkeeper who accompanied him on stage. Alfred Gomis, Steve Mandanda’s number 2 at the Stade Rennes, is also that of Edouard Mendy in selection.
Let’s imagine Gareth Southgate’s players have assembled before this first knockout match. But obviously the English journalists gathered in the Al Bayt stadium stand will not be outdone.
