Of the six men's and women's indoor team sports teams (basketball, handball, volleyball), French volleyball players were the only ones to follow the Olympic exploits from a distance, while preparing for Euro 2021. And for a team in reconstruction, she seems to lay very solid foundations for the future thanks to this European Championship in Serbia, with the Paris Games in 2024 in the viewfinder. Before the start of the tournament in Belgrade, coach Émile Rousseaux did not want to position himself against the opponents of the France team, the memory of Euro 2019 in Turkey was still present, with an unexpected victory against Bulgaria from entry but then four defeats, some against teams supposedly more accessible.
This year, the Blues have fulfilled their contract by beating Bosnia-Herzegovina without conceding a single set, and Azerbaijan by dropping a single set.
Two victories that validated the ticket for the round of 16, the goal that captain Héléna Cazaute had mentioned.
But in a week, they did a lot more.
They hooked Russia, quarter-finalist at the 2020 Olympics, by taking a set, and above all, they beat Belgium, the 11th nation in the world and which played in the League of Nations (VNL) in May and very well. June (eight wins for seven losses).
"
Mentally, we took a big step forward compared to Ankara in 2019, it's a big development, we will continue to work, it proves that it works
", notes Héléna Cazaute.
No quarter-finals at the Euro since 2013
The victory against Belgium has the direct effect of avoiding a very complicated round of 16 against Italy, and to switch against Croatia, finalist of the Golden League - lower level than the VNL, where the French play - and opponent well more affordable.
"
We are not going to change the point of view, we will come against Croatia with the desire to win, knowing that we can lose, as we have done all the time,
" warns the coach.
The last time the Blue reached the quarter-finals, it dates back to 2013. Sunday in Belgrade, they will aim for an eighth presence at this stage of the competition of a European Championship, in 32 editions and 16 French participations.
We are able to do even better, we will try to show it.
Lucille Gicquel
This Euro 2021 gives reasons for satisfaction to the team, extremely young with an average age of less than 22 years. “
What I find good about young people is that they are receptive, they don't have preconceived ideas. We can thus imbue them with technical, physical and mental work
”, underlines Émile Rousseaux, for whom“
the evaluation
”that the Euro represents offers“
very good indicators
”. “
Croatia? We are able to do even better, we will try to show it,
”announces Lucille Gicquel, winner of the Champions League in May with Conegliano and one of the leaders of this group with Héléna Cazaute.