From our special correspondent in Turin,
If they pretend, they do it very well. While attending a press conference the day before the semi-final of the League of Nations against Belgium, Didier Deschamps and Hugo Lloris showed enthusiasm before approaching the Final four of this competition whose value we do not know, if it was not that we had to fight to get to Turin. “It’s an enchanting break,” said DD, back in Turin, his second home as he likes to call it. We went to Portugal to win to secure a place in these four teams. We did everything to qualify. “
And then of course, there is the prospect of facing a formidable opponent in the person of Belgium, in the good memory of another half, that of the 2018 World Cup. These are all factors which explain this “positive energy”. felt by Hugo Lloris since the start of the rally: “we feel the pressure of an even more competition on this rally, we arrived on Monday and we feel that there is something in the air. We play Belgium, for whom we have a lot of esteem. We will have to be up to the task to qualify. “
Lloris does not want to underestimate the Belgian defense
At first glance, no signs of overconfidence before facing an opponent beaten three years ago in Russia. It is even the reverse. Didier Deschamps has revised his files well. “This team is aware of its strength and has experienced players. Their offensive animation is also of great quality and it is not for all that that they defend badly, because they have a lot of the ball. »With one objective: to prevent Martinez’s players from having too much possession (doubly useful for winning and avoiding the tears of seum in the wake).
And incidentally go bother this aging Belgian defense, even if the captain of the Blues refuses to underestimater. “They are experienced players who are part of the base of the team. They are great leaders and I have no doubt that in a great match like Thursday, they will play at their best. Our three front wizards have been warned.