Where and when to follow the Euro hopes?
The kick-off of this European Under-21 Championship will be given this Wednesday, March 24, at 6 p.m. with Slovenia-Spain and Czech Republic-Italy.
It is co-organized by Slovenia and Hungary.
The French team will make their debut on Thursday March 25 against Denmark (9 p.m.), then they will face Russia on March 28 (9 p.m.) and Iceland on March 31 (6 p.m.).
Les Bleuets matches will be broadcast live on France 4. For other matches, you will have to go to the UEFA.tv site where “selected matches will be broadcast live in certain territories”.
But impossible to know which 24 hours before the start of the Euro hopes, proof of a concern for the visibility of the competition.
Why will the knockout phase be in June?
It was initially planned that Euro U21 will take place from June 9 to 26, 2021. But with the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the European A-team championship has been delayed by one year, at same summer as that of hopes.
UEFA has therefore reorganized the dates of the Euro hopes so that the two tournaments do not walk on each other's feet, but also so that the players can finish the season at their club before joining their selection.
This is why the group stage will take place from March 24 to 31.
The first two of the four groups will qualify for the quarter-finals, which will take place from May 31 to June 6.
Then on June 11 will start the Euro of A. It is quite possible that a player will participate in the group stage but will be promoted to the A in two months and miss the knockout stage.
The Bleuets have also arrived at Clairefontaine to start the preparation for the EURO Espoirs!
France Denmark (25/03)
Russia France (28/03)
Iceland France (31/03) pic.twitter.com/HrpNb3fTw1
- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) March 22, 2021
Could Bleuets play the Euro this summer?
Yes.
Houssem Aouar, Eduardo Camavinga and Jonathan Ikoné have all already worn the jersey of the France A team, but were “left at disposal” of the Bleuets for the group stage, as Didier Deschamps clarified.
"There will still be two months before I make the list for the Euro at the end of May where there, the France A team will once again have priority", warned Deschamps concerning the Blues who, for their part, begin their qualifiers for the World Cup 2022 this month.
If France were eliminated from the group stage, the question would obviously not arise.
But the three players mentioned above can nourish hopes of recall in A at the end of May.
For the others, as good as they are, it is better not to have any illusions: as we had shown you, Didier Deschamps is not a fan of newcomers at the last moment before a big competition.
Koundé's superb goal against FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final on February 10 (2-0)
Who are the favorites?
With titular players in Lille, Lyon, Leipzig or Seville, the France team is one of the most serious contenders for final victory.
But his often brilliant generations hardly ever realized their potential, like the correction inflicted in the semifinals by Spain two years ago (4-1), who then beat Germany in the final. (2-1).
La Roja, in fact, has seen its arguments to defend its title slightly revised downwards: the A team has begun a rejuvenation which has impoverished the hopeful selection.
But its reservoir is as rich as that of the French.
England of Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea), the Netherlands of Sven Botman (Lille) or Portugal of Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting CP) also seem well armed.
What if the Covid-19 invites itself to the party?
An infected player, a group of players isolated ... The Under-21 Euro will not escape the specter of Covid-19.
The selections will be able to play each of their matches "insofar as the team will have at least 13 players available (including at least one goalkeeper)", specifies UEFA on its official website.
If this is not possible, in the case of an entire team being quarantined, “the match will, if possible and subject to viable postponement options be available, postponed to the next day by the UEFA administration, which will also have the power to assign the postponed match to another venue ”.
In the event that a postponement is not possible, “the national association which cannot play the match will be held responsible for the non-holding of the match and the match will be declared as lost by forfeit by the national association by the 'UEFA control, ethics and discipline body on the score of 3-0'.
Suffice to say that a breach of the health protocol planned for this Euro, on the part of a player or a member of the technical staff, would risk being very expensive for the entire selection.
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