The basketball players of the France team must “not tell themselves that it will be easier” against Italy, who fell favorites Serbs (94-86) in the round of 16 of the Eurobasket, insisted Tuesday Evan Fournier before to face him in the quarter-finals on Wednesday (5:15 p.m.).
“Seen from the outside world, we are the favorites for this match but we must not at all say to ourselves that it will be easier because we are not playing Serbia”, warned the captain during a press briefing in the club. team hotel.
The feeling could also arise from the quarter-final of the Tokyo Olympics, won against the Azzurri. As a demonstration in mid-August preparation match against Italy (100-68) in Montpellier, four days after a first success in overtime (78-77 ap) in Bologna.
“The Italians are coming out of a very big match, they eliminated the Serbs anyway, recalls the top scorer of the Blues (14.7 points on average). Confidence level, they are at the maximum. »
Evan Fournier hopes to find his best level
“We must expect a very combative team and playing with a lot of confidence at the start of the match”, still projected the back of the New York Knicks, below his standards having carried the French team towards a silver medal at the Olympics and a bronze at the 2019 World Cup.
“It would be nice if it was my match [face à l’Italie] smiled the No. 10 with a more discreet performance since the start of the tournament. “There are a lot of reasons, we have to help each other. Anyway when I’m at my best level, even without having much, I manage to create situations and take very complicated shots. “And to add:” I know that I am able to take up this challenge, I have already done so in the past”. For example with 29 points passed to Italy in the preparation match for the 2019 World Cup, his second best performance in Blue.