Relaxed but not too much, focused but not stressed either.
Hugo Lloris gave some indications on the state of mind of the France team on the eve of their round of 16 World Cup against Poland (Sunday, 4 p.m. in France).
What does
the record of selections (141)
that you will equal against Poland inspire in you?
HUGO LLORIS
.
It's not nothing.
I am very honoured, very proud of these figures.
I want to keep all my focus for tomorrow's game.
A new battle awaits us.
It's something I'll appreciate more once the competition is over, hopefully in the best way.
Do you consider yourself guilty on
the goal scored Wednesday by Tunisia (1-0)
?
If you want to analyze the goal conceded, we can stop the action well before, much higher on the ground (loss of ball from Fofana, editor's note).
Khazri instead scores a nice goal.
The keeper can't do much.
The problem could have been solved before, the attacker has the merit of placing it where it is needed.
Do you feel the group is safe from overconfidence?
The team is aware of the event, of entering a new phase of the competition.
If you win, you keep the right to stay, if you lose, you go home.
We want to continue to grow as a team, as a group.
And that goes through matches of great importance.
Every detail counts and each of them can make the difference.
We will need our talent but for it to be effective, it takes a certain relaxation as well as concentration and a certain mentality to tilt the details in our favor.
That's how I feel about things.
The coach had important words throughout this preparation.
The lights are green, it's up to us to do everything, against a very good Polish team.
What do you think of Lewandowski, you who are one of the best goalkeepers in the world?
He's been one of the best number nines in the world for a number of years.
It is an important element.
It also remains a collective, a team that likes to defend, that takes great pleasure in suffering.
Then there is Lewandowski who can make a difference at any time and goalkeeper Szczesny who is having a fantastic tournament.
Poland owes its place here to its goalkeeper, in my opinion.
Afterwards of course, there is always a part of unknown in an 8th.
What parallel do you draw between this match and elimination against Switzerland in 2021 (3-3, 4-5 pens)?
We talked a lot about it in the months following the Euro.
This is an element that can be taken into account.
In such an important game, you can't relax, get out of the game, be distracted.
The match is fully played on all levels, technical, physical, mental, psychological.
It can also be the reverse.
If we are behind too, we have to believe in it until the end.
We must not let go, we repeat it enough between us.
How do you prepare for a possible penalty shootout?
With the video analysts, we have all the elements.
There is also a part of randomness, shooters are able to hit anywhere.
Even if we can find some indications, put something in place and it will happen quite the opposite at the moment.
There is a part of preparation but also of instinct, of feeling at the time.
The goalkeeper must trust himself.
If it is well drawn, we have less chance.
Some goalkeepers excel more than others.
They probably have their little secrets.
There's enough time not to come to that, I hope, but if we have to go through that, we'll do our best.
