There was a scent of back-to-school in the Parisian sky. Because a match between enemy brothers is always a match apart, there had to be a
France-Italy to turn the page on this lackluster Euro. Of course, not everything was to be thrown away two months ago, and water has flowed under the bridge since then, but the Olympics have also been there, and they have accentuated this contrast of emotions between these very pale Blues and the spontaneous joy of our Gods of Olympus, for the time of an enchanted fortnight.
HAS In fact, Deschamps’ French team even suffered from the comparison with Thierry Henry’s short-lived team. And let’s not dwell on the simple debate about the result – both came up against Spain at the end of their adventure, after all. No, the stakes of the evening went beyond that. It was a question of lifting hearts, taking a step towards the public. Not born yesterday, Didier Deschamps sensed it well, so the coach picked from the group of medallists from the summer to breathe a breath of fresh air. Kylian Mbappé could laugh and dust the carpet, but this was the answer that Les Bleus had to give: Score, shine, blaze. In three words: rekindle the flame. For a while, it gave the impression of succeeding in its mission. It was an illusion.
Olise and Barcola, curiosities of the new school year
In the system as in the choice of men, Deschamps has done his bit to concoct a sufficiently exciting eleven. Exit the 4-3-3 used in Germany: make way for a 4-2-3-1 with Antoine Griezmann, very present, and especially Michael Olise, x-factor of the Bleus Olympiques, positioned as animators in the creative zone behind Kylian Mbappé. Bradley Barcola, the other sensation of the moment, also started.
If we had to forget this painful Euro, then Deschamps’ gang succeeded. Because they were as refreshing offensively as they were hesitant defensively, which is the complete opposite of what they had shown in Germany. And something tells us that the Parc public preferred that, at first. Especially when they saw their protégé Bradley Barcola burst forward like a TGV to intercept a very high ball and race towards goal before adjusting his teammate Gigio Donnarumma by opening his foot (1-0, 1st).
The former Lyon player is moving fast, very fast. And we’re going to have to start taking him seriously, as his standards seem so high this season. This goal after 12 seconds, his 5th of the season in all competitions, will remain in his memory and in the history books since it allows him to beat a national team record, at just 22 years old.
The Blues are too fragile
With this new-look animation, the Blues showed two faces. Opposite, Italy, still in the trough of the wave, initially gave the impression that it did not have the resources to resist. All the hopes of this Nazionale in reconstruction rested on the broad shoulders of Gigio Donnarumma, the local of the stage, moved to return to his Parc. The Italian goalkeeper could not delay the deadline.
But he saw his teammates revolt. And that had the merit of adding a little salt to this match. Stung in their pride, Spalletti’s men took advantage of the spaces left by the Blues to increase their pace as the minutes went by. Dimarco equalized without anyone finding anything to say, with a sublime volley into Maignan’s top corner, half an hour into the game (1-1). Italy even did a little better by taking the lead right after the break thanks to Frattesi, at the end of a textbook move (51st, 1-2).
The Blues tried to move up a gear with the entry of Dembélé, who was as confusing as he was messy. With a better grid of the pitch, the Nazionale succeeded. And on a new rapid attack by the visitors, the French defensive largesse settled the score, with a Saliba much too short against Raspadori (1-3, 74th). What about Kylian Mbappé in all this? The captain was inevitably scrutinized. He initially appeared less awkward than in his first matches at Real, but he also went through some air pockets in this open and rather uneven match. This return match will have been deceptive, in the end. A breath of fresh air before the air conditioning.
