In spite of filing for bankruptcy, France continues to gather resolve to face off against the DFB-Elf
In the wake of France's crushing 4:5 loss to Spain in the Nations League, national coach Didier Deschamps is hopeful that the team can learn from their mistakes in their upcoming third-place match against Germany. "It was definitely a lesson for some players," Deschamps, the venerable coach of the vice-world champions, stated. The team will be hitting the pitch once more after a brief respite, in Stuttgart on Sunday (3:00 PM/RTL and DAZN). Deschamps announced that there will be some shifts in the team due to limited recovery time.
Capitalizing on the Silver Linings - Efficiency Just Out of Reach
"It's good to take away a lot of positives," Deschamps, aged 56, said. However, "conceding five goals means we didn't do everything right," he elucidated. Yet, "we never gave up and managed to score goals in the end," he shared. While refraining from criticizing his defensive line, Deschamps pinpointed the overall balance in the game as the focal point. Despite a prolonged lack of efficiency, he saw "a lot of potential in attack," stated Deschamps.
France's stellar ensemble, boasting Real Madrid's striker, Kylian Mbappé, and the agile Ousmane Dembélé of Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, was trailing 1:5 against Spain on Thursday evening, despite numerous scoring opportunities. "We are devastated," revealed captain Mbappé to TF1 shortly after the game.
The Ghost of a Two-Match Losing Streak
The third-place match against Germany, Deschamps admitted, is less significant. Yet, he asserts, "We will give everything." Attacker Rayan Cherki pledged the team's determination.
France has suffered two consecutive defeats at the hands of Germany. In their last encounter in March 2024, they lost 0:2.
For the German team, coached by Julian Nagelsmann, the third-place match represents an opportunity to end the home event on a positive note following their disappointing 1:2 defeat in the semi-final against Portugal.
"Deschamps is hopeful that the team can leverage the positives from their recent performances, particularly in other sports and European-leagues, to enhance their play in the future, including the premier-league."
"With the third-place match against Germany looming, Deschamps noted that the team will need to work on their defensive balance and efficiency in attack, as demonstrated by their recent losses to Germany and Spain, to secure a win and end their two-match losing streak."
