It is now official. The France team knows two of the three opponents it will meet in Group D of the next World Cup, after the draw on Friday April 1. In addition to Denmark and Tunisia, the third opponent will be determined, between Peru, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, at the end of the play-offs in June.
Facing Denmark, the Habs will find an opponent they have already faced at the last World Cup and will play again twice, in June and September. “They too will have the advantage of knowing us even better, estimated the French coach, Didier Deschamps, at the microphone of beIN Sports. In any case, you have to have a lot of respect. (…) It is the eleventh nation (in the Fifa ranking), they are semi-finalists of the last Euro, if they are in this classification, ahead of teams like Germany and the Netherlands, it proves the quality of this Danish team.
“I don’t have to be happy with the draw, I accept it, he continued. After you (journalists, editor’s note) go comment: ‘it’s easy, it could have been more difficult’… For me, the main thing is to know who we are going to play against, even if we will have to wait until June for the last opponent.”
Same story for Noël Le Graët, the president of the French Football Federation, who remains cautious: “On paper we always have the impression that we can win the matches, but you have to play the matches, I have a little experience and it’s never easy”, he estimated.
Asked by beIN Sports, the coach of the semi-finalists of the last Euro, Kasper Hjulmand acknowledged “a difficult draw”. However, he allowed himself a little touch of humor… and provocation. “I advise you to prepare to face us, we have a very good team” he smiled, addressing the France team.
In addition to the Danes, the Blues will face Tunisia for the last match of this group stage. A draw which delighted the Saint-Etienne striker, Wahbi Khazri, a native of Ajaccio and star of his selection.“I’m very happy. The French are favorites, we are far from it, but having grown up here, living here, playing in the French championship, it’s a dream that will come true for me.” he explained, hoping to be “able to get out of this pool with France in the lead”.
To come out on top is obviously the wish of Noël Le Graët, who nevertheless abstained from any comments in this respect, preferring to speak of the other nations, and of the temperament of “winners” Tunisians. “I know the Tunisian spirit well, they are great winners and it won’t be so simple, it will be the third match, it will surely be decisive”he added about the duel against the Eagles of Carthage, scheduled for November 30.
For his coach, it is moreover this precise point of the calendar which seems Most important”, as well as “match times” which remain to be fixed. “We know that we will play on 22, 26 and 30 (November), but it goes from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m….” concluded the Deche.