After his crazy victory in a quarter against Denmark, the French Espoirs team is measured in Germany this Wednesday, in the semi-final of the Euro.
Bewitched by a difficult course in preparation as in each of its matches, the French team is counting on this experience to thwart the forecasts against Germany, Wednesday (9:00 p.m.) in Kosice (Slovakia), and reach the third final of a euro hopes in its history.
«Nothing was given to usSummed Gérald Batic after the victory torn off by his players in quarters against Denmark (3-2). “”We adapted to the difficulties we were able to encounter in relation to the list, we saw our tactical plans, we worked to build a nice list, to integrate the new ones and put everyone at an optimum level“Recalled the coach.
“It makes you want to go to the end”
His redesigned blueberries have succeeded. By climbing up to the half, they have already achieved the objective they had set themselves. And now dream bigger. “”We have been working for three weeks now and today, we harvest fruit“Says Matthis Abbline, who is one of the last -minute players called. “”Even led, you never give up. A football match is long, 95 minutes or more. (Facing Denmark) We hung on to the end and we managed to return to the score and then win. We are able to do beautiful things, together, because we work for each other. It makes you want to go to the end“Explains the Nantes striker.
It only happened once in the past. In 1988, 37 years ago, the Blueberries led by Éric Cantona, had offered France its only European title in the category. Alone, since then, the generation of Mickaël Landreau, Sydney Govou or Peguy Luyindula had managed to climb to the final in 2002, beaten by the Czech Republic of Petr Cech and Milan Baros, on penalties (0-0, 3 tab at 1). It is perhaps the French team that we were waiting for at least at this level which is about to imitate its glorious ancients.
Not that the blueberries of 2025 are less good than those of previous years. As an indicator of its talent, the French team in Slovakia represents a market value on the Transfermarkt reference site of 340 million euros for all its players. His German opponent in half, however favorite of the competition, culminates at 267 million euros. But Gérald Batic’s players lived so many adventures during the preparation of their Euro that it seemed optimistic to him to imagine them reaching the last square.
Despite the absent and complications
For a year, Thierry Henry’s ex-assistant at the Espoirs, appointed in August following the departure of the former Gunner after the silver medal obtained at the Paris Olympics last summer, first built his group around his Olympians. But Rayan Cherki and Désiré Goué in particular exploded at the highest level during the season to the point of being called by Didier Deschamps in the French team “A”.
Among the Blues, they found Malo Gusto, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Bradley Barcola or Eduardo Camavanga already passed to the next level, but who were all the age of being in Slovakia, the Euro Hopes being reserved for players born after January 2002. In addition to these absent, Batic also had U21 disputed at the same period when she launched her new format of club World Cup.
Consequence: several clubs, mostly French, or not pushed by players who are reluctant to participate in the euro, refused, as they had the right, to release the players on which the French coach counted. In total and adding the injured players, Batic had to do without more than a dozen elements and rethink his list as long as all the work he had provided with his staff for months. But this group improved by winning matches in the last minutes, against Denmark and Georgia (3-2), and dreams of writing its history. Against all expectations.
