Disillusionment.
A slap as violent as it was unexpected.
The beautiful and historic summer of the Blues, started in May with a bronze medal in the League of Nations and especially the Olympic coronation in Tokyo in early August, ended abruptly and prematurely on Monday evening.
In an Ostravar Aréna d'Ostrava half full - for health reasons - but glowing, France lost in 3 sets (22-25, 19-25, 32-34), after having however saved 8 (!) Balls match, against the Czech host. Jenia Grebennikov's partners, who remained on 8 successes in all competitions (3 at the Games, 5 at the Euro), leave the European competition in the round of 16. KO standing. History is unfortunately repeating itself for France which, then reigning European champion, had already been eliminated by this same opponent in the round of 16 of this competition in 2017.
“It's a huge disappointment, confides the sharp Jean Patry, one of the only French to keep his level on Monday, at the microphone of L'Équipe.
We expected it to be a tough game but not get walked on like that.
We may have seen each other too good, too easy.
"
#EuroVolleyM the Blues play in white tonight against the Czech Republic
Meeting in less than ten minutes on @lachainelequipe pic.twitter.com/hdao0hkCe1
- FFvolley (@FFvolley) September 13, 2021
The change of air was not successful for the French. Uncompromising and irresistible, in Estonia, where the first phase of the Euro took place, with 5 wins in 5 games and only one round left behind, they were unrecognizable against the Czechs, the shadow of the fiery blues of Tokyo. The smiles displayed since the beginning of the summer, which are the DNA and the trademark of this France team, had disappeared to give way to tense, nervous faces like Earvin Ngapeth, the star and the selection barometer.
Embarrassed by the light diffused by the neon lights from the ceiling, the French made too many unforced errors, especially in service (14 in the first two sets), and only too rarely managed to surprise their opponents in attack.
This Monday, the blue madness was Czech (they were playing in that color).
Trevor Clévenot's partners, who were playing their 31st game of the summer, seemed too blunt physically and mentally to turn the tables.
First failure for Bernardo Rezende
“We played an over-motivated team that played at home and faced the Olympic champion,” explains passer Antoine Brizard. Fatigue weighed all the more as we were not used to such adversity. There, we had to go back to coal and we could not answer this. But we must not forget what we did this summer. We would have liked to have ended differently, to continue our momentum from Tokyo and bring home another medal, but we must not forget that we are Olympic champion forever. "
Coach of the Czech Republic, Jiri Novak, former icon of Paris Volley with whom he won 8 French league titles in the 2000s, won one of his most beautiful victories. On the other hand, for the Brazilian Bernardo Rocha de Rezende, the successor of Laurent Tillie on the bench of the Blues, it is already a first failure. A world benchmark in coaching with its collection of world or Olympic charms, “Bernardinho” has never succeeded in remobilizing its players. “It's disappointing for him and for us because we have a good group and the staff do a good job, regrets Patry. But it was a very trying summer. We are not machines. You don't have to question everything for a match. We will come back stronger. “See you next summer for the World Championship.