Bucharest (AFP)

Less than 200 days before the Euro-2020, the Blues will know the composition of their group, Saturday during a draw in Bucharest where they will certainly inherit from Germany, England, Spain or Europe. Italy ... and perhaps Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal as a bonus.

"This is the real kickoff of the tournament today, we hope that the draw will be exciting," said Giorgio Marchetti, Deputy Secretary General of UEFA, Saturday morning in front of the press.

The first balls will be shot from 18H30 from the Romexpo Exhibition Center of the Romanian capital, in the presence of coaches of the twenty nations already qualified, including Didier Deschamps.

The surprise effect, however, is slightly undermined even before the ceremony. Because some groups are already partly pre-filled for sporting, diplomatic and geographical reasons that are due to the organization of this Euro (12 June-12 July 2020) erupted in twelve cities of the Old Continent.

Belgium, for example, already knows its destination and almost all its opponents: the ambitious semi-finalists of the World Cup-2018 will go to St. Petersburg and Copenhagen to challenge Russia and Denmark, as well as Finland or Wales in group B.

The Netherlands will also fight against Ukraine in Group C matches in Amsterdam and Bucharest, with the Finns or Welsh also in sight.

"It takes all the pleasure of a draw," also pleaded the Belgian middle of Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne, denouncing "a kind of falsification of the competition".

UEFA tried to put an end to the controversy on Saturday, saying the rules were "clear from the start". "When it was decided to organize a Euro like this, it was obvious that there would be an impact on certain sports rules," defended Marchetti, the draw.

- Short trips or journey? -

For the French, however, the draw still has many unknowns. The coach Didier Deschamps has only two certainties: he will not have to face the Belgians and the Dutch, on the one hand, but it will necessarily be necessary to rub one of the other four seeded.

Specifically, the reigning world champions and vice-champions of Europe will travel to Rome and Baku (group A) if they inherit Italy, absent from the World Cup-2018 but qualify for Euro-2020 after 10 victories in 10 matches.

England with its young nuggets Tammy Abraham, Raheem Sterling or Trent Alexander-Arnold would make a strong rival in Group D hosted in Glasgow and London, where will also be held the semi-finals and then the final.

The draw can also send them to Budapest and Munich, where the young German guard of Julian Brandt, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry would be waiting for them. The cador of group F returns strong after the slap of the Russian World Cup, finished in the group phase.

Last possible opponent among the seeded: the Spain of the returning Luis Enrique, inducted mid-November coach five months after his departure for personal reasons, and whose comeback caused a clash with Robert Moreno, his former assistant and successor.

Confronting La Roja, struggling since its historic triumph Euro-World-Euro (2008-2012), would cause the Blues travel to Bilbao and Dublin, host cities of the group E.

- Attention to Portugal -

The other issue is whether the Blues will find, from the group stage, their Portuguese executioner of the final of the Euro-2016 lost at home.

Cristiano Ronaldo's partners qualified on the final day of a qualifying phase that they did not overfly (5 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss), placing them among the "small" nations of the world. draw, rows in the third hat.

To summarize, France could in the worst case end up in a group of four with Germany and Portugal, for example.

Beyond the identity of the opponents, the draw will provide crucial information on future travel as well as the recovery time between matches, especially for the knockout phase.

But the draw will not lift all the uncertainties. Because for the first time in the history of the Euro, the last four tickets will be distributed in March after the dams.

Romania, the host country, for example, is suspended from the forthcoming performance of its "Tricolorii": to win their ticket, they will play a semi-final dam on March 26 in Iceland, before a possible final on 31 March in Bulgaria or Hungary.

© 2019 AFP