The players of the France team were copiously whistled by the public at Stade al-Bayt, Wednesday before the semi-final of the World Cup against Morocco, but not the Marseillaise generally respected by the many spectators of the Lions of the Atlas.
The whistles started when the French technical staff, coach Didier Deschamps in the lead, entered the lawn nearly an hour and a half before kick-off (8:00 p.m.).
They resumed in a more nourished way when the players arrived for the warm-up.
A few whistles greeted the start of the Marseillaise.
But many supporters, in the stands occupied by Moroccans, made great gestures to ask the rest of the public to respect the French anthem, a well-received instruction.
The Moroccan anthem was taken up with vigor by the vast majority of the stadium, largely won over to the Atlas Lions.
Compared to previous matches, “
the additional thing is this hostile atmosphere in the stadium which will be in the colors of Morocco.
We will have to be ready, it will make noise, we will not be able to get along
, ”took ahead of French captain Hugo Lloris on Tuesday.
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“
I don't like the term hostile.
They have a popular fervor for them.
It makes a lot of noise, I could hear it, my observers told me, my players have been warned.
This is part of the context
,” said Deschamps, when asked about the strong popular support enjoyed by Moroccans.
Only about 3,000 French people were expected for the meeting, in the stadium located in al-Khor, which has a capacity of nearly 69,000 seats.
They formed a small blue spot behind a goal, a striking contrast with the rest of the stands massively colored by the red flags and jerseys of Morocco.
Since 1930, all the courses of the Blues at the World Cups
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