The French team has sunk against Croatia (2-0) in the quarter-final first leg of the League of Nations. An indigestible service that pushed the very controversial Daniel Riolo to violently attack Didier Deschamps.
An incomprehensible system for Riolo
After the defeat of the Blues in Split, Daniel Riolo did not chew his words. As soon as the composition was announced, the RMC editorialist was skeptical, and he repeated it after the meeting: “I don't understand anything”. For him, the organization set up by Deschamps was doomed to failure, especially in the midfield.
“A mid -three environment too defensive”he denounced, pointing to the positioning of Adrien Rabiot and Mattéo Guendouzi, who, according to him, are not used in roles adapted to their qualities. “Rabiot at OM is good, but he does not play this position. Guendouzi does not play exactly in this system either. And Tchouameni, as he is the basic man of Deschamps, let's start from the principle that he will play all the time. »»
The absence of a more technical profile in the middle, like Manu Koné, was also underlined by Riolo, who considers that the Blues are sorely lacking players capable of bringing fluidity in the game.
A frozen game without evolution
But beyond this match, Riolo has expanded his criticism to the general report of the French team in recent months. According to him, the Blues have been stagnating since Euro 2024, where they had not already convinced in the game. “The game has never really evolved since the Euro during which we kept saying 'we get bored'. France-Portugal, it was terrible. France-Spanish, we were turned as we expected. »»
The journalist regrets that France has not been able to take a course in its offensive animation. He quoted victory over Italy last November (3-1), but recalls that the three goals scored that evening had only been on set up.
A high pressure return match
With this setback, the French team finds itself in great danger before the quarter -final return Sunday. Daniel Riolo believes that Deschamps must imperatively review his copy if he wants to hope for a qualification.
The Blues will have to react in a stadium in France which awaits an answer, under penalty of wiping a new wave of criticism. For Riolo, the observation is clear: it is time for the change coach his plans, under penalty of seeing the tricolor selection switch to a bad spiral.
