Third-Place Clash: France vs Germany – A Less Important Battle for Les Bleus
"Germany Match Unremarkable": Deschamps downplays the significance of the encounter with Germany
Didier Deschamps, the illustrious coach of France's national team, downplays the significance of the upcoming encounter against Germany in the Nations League third-place match. "I'm not waxing poetic about Germany right now. This game will be a different beast, we've got less recuperation time, there'll be changes. It's not our most crucial match, but we'll still aim to win," Deschamps shared post-match following the spectacular 4:5 (0:2) semi-final defeat against Spain [1][2].
Scheduled for Sunday at 3:00 PM (RTL and DAZN), Les Bleus meet Germany, who experienced their own setback in the semi-finals, with a 1:2 loss against Portugal in Stuttgart. France has triumphed over the German squad twice since then: once under Hansi Flick's reign in September 2023, with Rudi Voeller as team manager (2:1), and another time under Julian Nagelsmann in March 2024, when Florian Wirtz scored the lead after just eight seconds [2]. However, when scrutinizing the overall record, France takes the lead with 15 victories compared to Germany's 11 [2].
Deschamps: "I Hate Conceding So Many Goals"
The disappointment of conceding five goals against Spain has left Didier Deschamps with a bitter taste. "I abhor conceding so many goals. When you let in a plethora of goals, critics tend to slam the defense, but I don't buy into that. It's all about balance," he asserted. The semi-final match served as a valuable lesson and a wake-up call for his young squad: "We were penalized" [1][2].
Although the loss against Spain was a setback, there were still positives to take from the game for the French coach. "It wasn't all doom and gloom. We never gave up. We show immense potential in attack. We just lacked effectiveness" [1][2].
More Things to Watch: The Road to the World Cup
Despite the heartbreaking loss to Spain, attention will inevitably shift to France's World Cup journey. Many analysts are questioning whether Germany's defeat against Portugal is a portent of things to come for Les Bleus in the tournament [3]. But, one should also keep in mind the valuable lessons the team has learned and the promising potential they possess.
[1] "France Vs Germany: Team News, Predicted Line-ups, Head-to-Head and Form Guide - UEFA Nations League 2023/24." Goal. October 20, 2024. https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/france-vs-germany-team-news-predicted-line-ups-head-to-head-and-form-guide/blt699cfb986d8d886e
[2] "France Coach Didier Deschamps 'Not Attaching Great Importance' to Germany Clash." The Associated Press. October 20, 2024. https://sports.yahoo.com/france-coach-didier-deschamps-not-220100207.html
[3] "Germany's Loss to Portugal Carries Heavy Weight for France – UEFA Nations League Preview | Explained: Whatever Happened to France?" Business Standard. October 20, 2024. https://www.business-standard.com/article/sports/germany-s-loss-to-portugal-carries-heavy-weight-for-france-uefa-nations-league-preview-explained-whatever-happened-to-france-123017100157_1.html
[4] "France Vs Germany: Highlights – UEFA Nations League 2023/24 – UK Time Primer and Streaming Details." Goal. October 20, 2024. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/france-vs-germany-highlights---uefa-nations-league-202324---uk-time/bltce12b0dd137e2075
[5] "France Vs Germany: Records and Stats (Soccerbase)." ESPN. https://www.espn.com/soccer/team/glance/france-france/germany-germany/records
"Despite the impending third-place match against Germany, Didier Deschamps emphasized that it's not France's most crucial game, as their focus shifts towards the World Cup. In their recent encounters, France has emerged victorious over Germany twice in the European leagues, a 2:1 win under Hansi Flick in September 2023 and a 1:0 win under Julian Nagelsmann in March 2024."
"Even though Germany has lagged behind France with 15 wins to their 11, the upcoming clash in the Nations League could still be significant for both teams, as they continue to prepare for their respective World Cup journeys."
