They came back from nowhere so they can still believe it. Having been badly beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals, Andrea Giani’s Blues are now just one step away from a second consecutive Olympic final. To get there, they will have to beat Italy, the reigning world champion.
Two surviving teams
If France and Italy are at the semi-finals, they owe it largely to their mental strength and resilience. Each led two sets to nothing in the quarter-finals, respectively against Germany and Japan, they managed to refocus on their game to go through a new round and reach the last four, by reversing two very badly started games.
A French team with an Italian accent
If the Blues and the Italians are used to regularly facing each other every year, the French also have a particular history with the Boot. First of all, the architect of this team, Andrea Giani, former Italian international with 474 selections. But this tendency towards sweet life has something contagious about it. Of the 12 players in the French squad, 11 have played or are still playing in the Italian championship. In fact, only Quentin Jouffroy has never played there.
These Blues have resources
Having struggled for a long time against Germany, the Blues came through thanks to the talent of their individuals, notably the inevitable Earvin Ngapeth. But two players particularly stood out in the three sets that allowed the Blues to get back into the match: Théo Faure and Quentin Jouffroy. Omnipresent in all sectors of the game, the two usual substitutes seized their chance perfectly and weighed heavily in the French success.