The last time the French team faced Spain, it was eleven months ago in the Euro semi-finals. Before the 2-1 defeat, we praised the defense of the Blues, who had then taken only one goal on the whole of the competition. And again, it was on penalty against Poland. Didier Deschamps' men found the Roja, which has become European champion in the meantime and despite a good start and a spectacular finish, they especially suffered a lot. In 67 minutes of play, Spain stuck 5, (a first since 1969!) To a completely outdated tricolor defense, to finally win 5-4.
It all started well for our Blues, however, thanks to an encouraging match start. The lack of realism was lacking, where the men of Luis de la Fuente were lethal. Two goals in three minutes and France had already lagged behind that it has never been able to fill. Some cases illustrate this sinking like Pierre Kalulu or Ibrahima Konaté. The first celebrated his first selection in a position where he does not usually evolve (he plays in the axis most of the time at Juve), when the second again displayed an unrecognizable face with the tricolor jersey.
75% of the usual defensive line was missing
This was already the case last March during the quarter-first leg of the League of Nations against Croatia (2-0 defeat). Didier Deschamps had taken him out at the break. Impressive with Liverpool, he still seems disoriented internationally. “”I have a young team, it will have to serve. When you take goals, you tend to incriminate the defense, but I'm not going to go on it: it's a matter of balance“, Forbidden Didier Deschamps yesterday at a press conference. Back in selection for the first time since November 2021, Clément Lenglet experienced a real ordeal.
“”Three of the four players who have played all the matches have been missing for two years“Continued the coach. Indeed, the absences of Koundé, Upamecano and Saliba highlighted the lack of solution behind. Theo Hernandez ended up exploding on his side, dizzy by Lamine Yamal, while Mike Maignan was not decisive either. And if the defense was also exposed, it is also because the double Pivot Rabiot-Koné did not work. Purred from all sides, poorly placed, not complementary, the duo precipitated the fall of the Blues between a forgetfulness of Koné on the second goal, in addition to a loss of ball which led to the fault of the Marseillais in the surface for the penalty of 3-0.
