Opposed to Hungary in the match for third place on Sunday, the Blue will try to win an eighth consecutive European medal, in the absence of a third continental title.
Hardly had the French and Belgian players returned to the locker room than the Eurobasket organizing committee was busy on the floor of the Arena Stozice in Ljubljana (Slovenia) to rehearse the podium ceremony. Defeated by Belgium (67-63) in the semi-finals on Saturday, the French team already knows that it will not be able to settle there on the first two steps. She still hopes to climb alongside her executioner and Spain with the bronze medal around her neck. For that, it will be necessary to get rid of Hungary (5 p.m. on France 4 and france.tv) during the small final.
This was not the announced objective of this tricolor selection. Before the competition, and during each press briefing throughout it, the staff and the players loudly displayed their ambition for a third European title after 2001 and 2009. “Of course, it’s a disappointment compared to what we were aiming for, but it’s sport, did not hide Jean-Aimé Toupane at a press conference. So we will try to look ahead and win this game for third place.” A failure all the more resounding as the final has not escaped the Blues since 2011, that is to say during the last five editions.
Aiming for an eighth consecutive Eurobasket medal
Otherwise, there is another series that the French will want to continue: in the event of victory, Sunday, they would win an eighth continental medal in a row. “Bronze would inevitably mitigate the disappointment, continued the coach. Tomorrow (Sunday)we are playing for our gold medal because, to finish on the podium, would remain a positive and satisfying result for us, for the federation, for everyone.” An opinion shared by Sarah Michel, the captain of the Blue: “A bronze medal can have a good taste, it will reward this group which has been giving for a month and which has heart. It’s all the harm I wish for us, to finish on the best possible note because we deserved.”
This is only the second match for third place in a Eurobasket that the Habs will play. In 2011, they won against the Czech Republic (63-56). The opposition against Hungary should be less tough than against Belgium. Competitive nation of international basketball in the 1950s then 1980s (two silver medals and five bronze at the European championship), before falling into anonymity, it was the surprise guest of the last four thanks to its narrow victory against the Czechs in the quarter-finals (62-61).
“A Big Battle”
For their first semi-final since 1997, the Magyars made the Iberians doubt a great Alba Torrens (27 points) until the last moments (69-60) despite 24 lost balls. “From what I saw tonight against Spain, they are a good team, warned Jean-Aimé Toupane at a press conference despite the status of French favorites. Like us, when you lose in the semi-finals you want to react so it will be a big battle.”
“We want to get a medal, I think we deserve it. We are a solid team and we have to go get it”, claimed Alexia Chartereau at the microphone of France Télévisions. The legs will certainly be as heavy as the heads when they enter the Arena Stozice again, less than 19 hours after the final buzzer of this intense semi-final unfortunate. Especially since sleep must have taken a long time to find.