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Once upon a time, the Blues' mad summer: Euro 2016, the double blow of Grizou

2020-07-10T11:23:55.421Z


SERIES (5/6). The French football team has enchanted our summer nights for several decades. In 2016, Antoine Griezmann, executioner of


He never hid it: Antoine Griezmann loves OM. Very active on social networks, he often "likes" photos linked to the Marseille club. Last April, when an Olympian supporter posted the comment: "We are waiting for you Antoine" with a video of the VĂ©lodrome full to bursting, the response of the Barcelonese is like a ray of light: "Magnificent, this stadium! He is not amnesiac. On July 7, 2016, he lived the height of his Euro 2016 in an incandescent, fused, even slightly irrational Marseille enclosure.

We're waiting for you Antoine! đź’™ pic.twitter.com/FycEou0EGC

- OM_Fada (@OM_Fadaaaaaa) April 23, 2020

On the road to the final stands the formidable Germany, reigning world champion. At the mention of this adversary, painful memories come to mind in the memory of the Mâconnais. In 2014, the Mannschaft shattered his dreams in the quarterfinals of the World Cup and wetted his cheeks (1-0). Strong, already, of four achievements in the tournament before this reunion, he advances towards this meeting escorted by a sparkling form. Its timely repositioning in the axis, operated by Didier Deschamps at the half-time of the 8th final against Ireland (2-1), does wonders.

Having discovered him at the age of 14, Eric Olhats knows the guy well. "Right, he was not his business, says his former advisor still very close to the Barça player. He expressed it internally and discussed it, in good understanding, with Deschamps. It could have gone off in a lollipop if he had remained off center. He would have shot the mouth. There, he was able to restore the confidence given by the coach. He then exploded in a tactical scheme conducive to his development. He developed a great bond with Giroud. As much as a small grain of sand is likely to disturb it, as much, when it feels good, it flies. "

A case of penalties

Well managed by Deschamps, since he covers his legs at the best time of the competition, after an exhausting season with Atlético de Madrid. He is thus the man who gives meaning to the offensive animation of the Tricolores. Free electron under the point, it impresses with its subtlety, its quality of movement between the lines, its ability to offer on the ground or in depth and its creativity. "He arrived quite tired at this Euro," says Guy Stéphan, Didier Deschamps' assistant, with more than 60 games on the clock. He also had to digest the defeat in the final of the Champions League where he misses a penalty against Real Madrid. It was spared during the group matches so that it regains the necessary freshness. Out of the 270 minutes, he only plays 165. ”

Between France and Germany, it is often a matter of penalties! In Seville, in 1982, they had proved fatal to the Blues. So when the chance to open the scoring comes to Griezmann, following a hand from Bastian Schweinsteiger, he does not show the slightest sign of weakness to execute the sentence. Opposed to the immense Manuel Neuer, he adjusts his dish with his left foot and takes the Bayern goalkeeper against the right foot.

"We had to put him in front of the big Neuer," says Hugo Lloris, an expert. "I wanted to take a penalty in an important moment," said Grizou. "Another failure did not occur to him. It doesn't work that way, says Olhats. We talked about it afterwards together. At no time did he think: I must not miss him . "

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Intervened just before the break, this match punctuated quite luckily a first period copiously dominated by the Mannschaft.

Change of scenery after rest. The Blues release the embrace. Combative and precise in each of his gestures, Griezmann even seals this victory with a clever recovery of the sole at the reception of a Pogba center barely deflected by Neuer (72nd). Mass has been said. Her minuet came to the end of the valkyrie.

Deschamps: "He has the art of positioning himself where it is necessary"

“He has enough lucidity to put the ball between the goalkeeper's legs. That evening, he confirmed, by the way, his status as the best player in the tournament, ”adds Lloris. "He scored a fox goal. He feels the blows very well when he is in the surface. Where can the ball go and where it can receive it, analyzes Deschamps. He has the art of positioning himself where it is needed. Its technical address also simplifies things. For this second goal, he uses a surface that is not used regularly. He is in a hurry to be effective and score. "

Even if he will not grow his capital goals in a final generating many regrets against Portugal (0-1), he finishes better trigger of the tournament. With six goals and a few memorable celebrations, such as his dance imitating the Canadian rapper Drake in his hit "Hotline Bling", he became the darling of fans.

It centralizes the positive ecosystem of the France team. With him, the Blues are really what they seem to be. He is the head of the ship. The one who will capture the light when we no longer imagined a Paul Pogba. He is in tune with the times, with his communicative smile and joie de vivre. Despite the emergence of Kylian Mbappé, the charm, four years later, is not broken in France.

All episodes of Fol Eté des Bleus

1. 1984, Platini in the firmament

2. 1998, White, the funny summer of the president

3. 2000, Wiltord, a truly golden goal

4. 2006, Zidane, from Olympus to darkness

5. 2016, Grizou's double hit

6. 2018, Pavard, a flight for eternity

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2020-07-10

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