Nantes (AFP)

Between the Euro final in 2003 and the Euro-2015 group match, France played two legendary matches against Italy, which have marked the history of French volleyball, with reverse consequences for footballers. two teams.

. 2003: epic finale, complicated suite

In 2003 in Berlin, the French volleyball team reached the final of the Euro, it had tasted only twice: in 1948 for the very first edition and in 1987, one year after the World Cup in France.

After a semi-final won in the tiebreak of the fifth set (16-14) against Serbia of the setter Nikola Grbic, fourth of the World-2002 in Argentina, the Blues find Italy on the way to a first continental title.

"It's a fantastic match, full of rebound and bitterness," said Frantz Granvorka, striker / receiver of the Blues at the time and now consultant for the channel The Team.

This match is the occasion of one of the wildest sets in the history of volleyball which ends at 42-40 for the French in the 2nd round.

"From 25 to 40, there is not a single foul of the two teams: reception, point, reception, point The quality of the game was extraordinary, there was risk taking, but there was no Both teams have always found the flaw to put the point, "says Granvorka.

In the tie-break, the French take the lead, but let out the European title on two mistakes of inattention.

It leaves a taste of unfinished French who confirmed however their world bronze and opened the door for the Games of Athens-2004.

"There was no discussion around + it's good, it's not good +, a feedback to be able to rebuild something behind," regrets Granvorka. The Bleus will pull their ticket for Greece at the end of May 2004, a few weeks before the opening of the Olympics, but will arrive physically worn and will not pass the hens.

. 2015: reversal for history

In Turin, France are fighting against Italy the last game of the group stage of the European Championship, just haloed a first World League (ancestor of the current League of Nations) won mid-July in Brazil, volleyball ground par excellence.

The effect of surprise passed, the men of Laurent Tillie want to confirm their potential and face Italy at home. At stake: the first place in the group to go directly to the quarterfinals and avoid the box 8th final tricky.

"2015, it's a great memory!", Launched the star of the team Earvin Ngapeth, the mere mention of this match, remained in the memories of French volleyball.

Two sets in a row, Italy clearly dominates the debates (25-23, 25-21). Then at a certain moment, the meeting turns, at the initiative of the French, before 8,200 Turinese unleashed behind the Nazionale.

"Suddenly, lost to lost, we start to make the cons We have fun, we start to annoy them, the whole room began to whistle us.And finally, we won this match ", smiles Ngapeth.

"I think it was the match that rocked our competition, and behind us was our competition," said the Blues striker / receptionist, who is currently enjoying Zenit Kazan.

After a quarter final against Serbia (3-1), the French find the same scenario against Bulgaria: led 2 sets to 0 in Sofia and the 15,000 Bulgarian fans, they reverse the trend to win the tiebreak and to have the right to dream of a first continental title, won the next day in the same hall against Slovenia.

© 2019 AFP