Special Envoy in Milan
To discover
Nations League: schedule and results
Where and how to follow France-Spain?
Gala poster in the mythical Giuseppe-Meazza, more commonly known as the San Siro stadium in Milan this Sunday evening. In front of the cameras of M6 (8:45 p.m.), the Blues and La Roja will battle it out to win the Nations League, a trophy never won by these two nations and still held for a few hours by Portugal. Due to the Covid context, the capacity of the Milan stadium, which can usually accommodate 80,000 spectators, is reduced to 50%, which will allow 40,000 people to attend this meeting. An appointment to follow also on our Figaro site with the live commentary of our journalist Teddy Vadeevaloo from 7.45 p.m. and on-site information from our special correspondent Baptiste Desprez.
Read also League of Nations: Deschamps maintains the mystery on the eve of the final between France and Spain
Winning the Nations League, what does it earn?
Prestige, confidence, money and points in the Fifa ranking. Not bad for a competition that the general public hardly discovers and for which they do not understand much. Unparalleled with a World Cup or a Euro, the Nations League, created in 2018 and which takes place every two years, has the advantage of offering a little sexier posters and the usual friendly matches interspersed between the championships. domestic and European Cups. Proof of this is the pedigree of the final between French and Spanish on Sunday evening. So much for the prestige. One year before the World Cup in Qatar (November 21-December 18), the winner of this match will gain significant confidence to arrive at the end of 2022 in the shoes of one of the favorites. After the failure of the Euro this summer, theFrance team would validate a strong streak by dominating in quick succession Belgium and Spain. Off the field, winning this competition would bring in money in the federations' coffers with a total of 10.5 million euros for the winner and 9 million for the finalist. An interesting little jackpot in times of Covid. Finally, on the side of the Fifa ranking, dominated by the Red Devils for three years and in which France can climb to 3rd place in the event of victory on Sunday evening, this League of Nations offers as many points as qualifying for a World Cup or a Euro.euros for the winner and € 9 million for the finalist. An interesting little jackpot in times of Covid. Finally, on the side of the Fifa ranking, dominated by the Red Devils for three years and in which France can climb to 3rd place in the event of victory on Sunday evening, this League of Nations offers as many points as qualifying for a World Cup or a Euro.euros for the winner and € 9 million for the finalist. An interesting little jackpot in times of Covid. Finally, on the side of the Fifa ranking, dominated by the Red Devils for three years and in which France can climb to 3rd place in the event of victory on Sunday evening, this League of Nations offers as many points as qualifying for a World Cup or a Euro.
Antoine Griezmann on the San Siro lawn on Saturday night.
FRANCK FIFE / AFP
To read also "We are the France team, we can not do that": what he said in the locker room of the Blues at half-time
Which team will Didier Deschamps line up against La Roja?
The Blues again in 3-4-3 Sunday night?
The tendency remains to maintain this system of play for "DD" against the Roja, a selection which will offer a fight of a completely different ilk than the Red Devils.
In particular on the question of possession of the ball.
"
This game system offers advantages and disadvantages, anything is possible
“, Only agreed to declare the coach at a press point where the subject of the tactical device has been discussed several times, a sign of an existing vagueness. If the Blues leave in 3-4-3, Didier Deschamps could decide to renew the same starting eleven lined up Thursday evening in Turin against the first world nation, apart from Adrien Rabiot, positive for Covid-19 and package, replaced by Aurélien Tchouaméni. The Monegasque will be associated with Paul Pogba in a sector of play which will be severely tested by the Spaniards. In defense, the L. Hernandez-Varane-Koundé trio should again be aligned, with T. Hernandez and Pavard on the sides. Unless Presnel Kimpembe, substitute in the semi-final, does not come to modify the plans. In attack, no doubt about the presence of the Griezmann trio (who will celebrate their 100th selection),Benzema and Mbappé.
To read also Early talent, fan of Verratti: 5 things to know about Gavi "the Magnificent", the new nugget of Spanish football
What is the level of Spain?
Excellent. For some observers, La Roja, led by Luis Enrique, undoubtedly develops the most beautiful game in Europe in terms of quality and spectacle. Semi-finalist of the Euro last July, only beaten on penalties by Italy in a meeting they had dominated, the Spaniards regain their splendor with a game that is still unique to them. Against the Blues, Spain will also count on its triumphant youth, like Ferran Torres (21, already 12 goals on the clock and author of a double against the future European champion) or the last named, Gavi , 17 years old and who turned off Marco Verratti on Wednesday night in the Nations League semifinals. Of course, Luis Enrique also relies on his executives who are Koke,César Azpilicueta or Sergio Busquets to respond to the challenge proposed by the world champions. It is an Iberian nation in confidence, sure of its game and its strength which comes before the Blues this Sunday evening. "
We will have to play with our ideas and our weapons and even if Benzema, Mbappé and Griezmann are great players, we must not be afraid of anyone,
”says Mikel Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad winger.
The stage is set.
To read also Antoine Griezmann future centenary: why he remains (always) essential to the Blues
Antoine Griezmann will celebrate his 100th selection for the France team, who does he join in this very closed circle?
Sign of an exceptional longevity, the native of Mâcon will be Sunday evening against Spain the ninth centenary in the French team. A symbolic figure that testifies to the time passing and Antoine Griezmann's career with the selection. Since his first cap in March 2014 against the Netherlands, the number 7 of the Blues has scored 41 goals, which places him ten units behind Thierry Henry, top scorer in the history of the selection. "It's a lot and a little at the same time," he smiled on Saturday night in Turin. I'm not making it a goal, we have to take it easy. "With 100 selections," Grizou "leaves behind luminaries like Laurent Blanc, Bixente Lizarazu or Fabien Barthez and now sees… Didier Deschamps, who has 103. The striker of Atlético Madrid, 30,can hope to overtake in the coming months Patrick Vieira (107), Zinédine Zidane (108) or Olivier Giroud (110) if the latter is no longer recalled by "DD". At the top of this ranking is always Lilian Thuram with 142 selections, chased by a certain Hugo Lloris, who will count 134 on Sunday evening.
