Without Victor Wembanyama, Les Bleus lose to Germany less than three weeks before the Olympic Games

He was missed by his team. Beaten on Monday, July 8 in Montpellier by Germany (70-65), the French basketball team conceded its first defeat in preparation for the Olympic Games in the absence of Victor Wembanyama. The San Antonio Spurs prodigy withdrew before the match due to a viral syndrome.

Radiant inside with “Wemby”, they suffered much more this time against Dennis Schröder’s partners, still deprived of several key players. Especially since Nicolas Batum, starting at power forward, was quickly handicapped by three fouls, and Guerschon Yabusele spent the second quarter on the bench after hurting his right knee at the very end of the first quarter.

Leading by 12 points in the middle of the second quarter in the wake of a good Bilal Coulibaly, the Blues experienced a big air hole until half-time (39-39), after which Germany took and confirmed its advantage despite the home team’s comeback at the end of the match. In terms of individuals, Nando De Colo, retained on Monday in the group of 12 for the Olympics, did little to reassure us about his ability to go the distance at the very international level, while Evan Fournier faded after a good start.

After two big victories against Turkey (96-46) and Germany at home (90-66), during which Victor Wembanyama was decisive for the start of their rise to power towards Paris 2024, Vincent Collet’s French team will try to move forward again. And this, starting Friday against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia, in Décines-Charpieu.