Eight years after losing the final as hosts, France will once again face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, this time in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, with the possibility of consolidating their status as favorites, on Friday at 4 pm (Brasília time), in Hamburg, after a disappointing start to the tournament.
A lacklustre group stage and a modest victory in the round of 16 against Belgium have left France’s start to the Euros far from being a title contender, and their four games have already revealed their weaknesses. A surprising lack of goals from Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, a general athletic deficit and a coach with tactical doubts are all issues that are slowing down France’s momentum.
Quarter-finalists confirmed ✅
🤔 Who are you backing to go all the way?#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/SHwKaqpd01
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 2, 2024
Despite this, the players led by coach Didier Deschamps managed to reach the quarter-finals thanks to a solid defense that only conceded one goal, a penalty. But against the Portuguese team the level of demand will increase several levels and a better collective response to the challenge will be required.
The 2022 world runners-up suffer from creative gaps, the opposite of Portugal, a team full of talents in this aspect such as Bernardo Silva, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and full-backs João Cancelo and Nuno Mendes.
Not forgetting veteran defender Pepe or the eternal Ronaldo, a leader at 39 years of age. In what will certainly be his last European Championship, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will be looking to say goodbye with his second continental title after the one he won in 2016 against the French at the Stade de France.
Duel between Mbappe and Ronaldo
Without the legs he once had, Cristiano has yet to score a goal in his four games and is no longer seen as the great threat he posed in his golden years. His tears after missing a penalty against Slovenia in extra time in the round of 16, however, demonstrate a deep love for his team. Those tears were also the result of desperation from Portugal, who struggled to defeat Slovenia, something positive for France.
France’s big task ahead is to find the back of the net from open play, having scored just three goals, two of them own goals and one from Mbappé, a penalty. On Friday, he will face his childhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo, just weeks before he begins his journey at Real Madrid, following in the footsteps of the Portuguese legend.
Playing with a mask after breaking his nose against Austria, if Mbappé is 100% fit in Hamburg it could mean the difference between qualifying for the semi-finals or an early exit like in 2021, when France were knocked out in the round of 16 by Switzerland on penalties.
“I didn’t know, but playing with a mask is an absolute horror. It’s very complicated, it limits your vision, the sweat gets blocked, you have to take it off to drip. When I can take it off, I will. But I have no choice, my tournament will be like this, I can only play like this. It’s annoying, but I have to thank the mask,” said the France captain on Sunday.
A step forward for the number 10 will be crucial for France. The president of the French Football Federation (FFF) Philippe Diallo has set the semi-finals as the minimum objective, and coach Didier Deschamps, under contract until 2026, would thus avoid having to give uncomfortable answers upon his return, in the event of elimination against Portugal.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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