Paris (AFP)

The French volleyball players, under construction in the perspective of the Paris-2024 Olympic Games, launch from Friday in Belgrade in Euro-2021, where they hope to cross the 1st round, stimulated by the golden epic of the Blues at the Games from Tokyo.

Two years after a Euro-2019 ended at the end of the 1st round and the five group matches (a tie-break victory against Bulgaria), the French women coached by Emile Rousseaux since July 2018 have continued to progress with a new generation who pushes.

Lucille Gicquel (23), with a reduced playing time, won the Champions League with Conegliano in early May and leaves for an Italian adventure with Cuneo.

Of the fourteen players selected for Euro-2021, three will play in Italy, the densest championship in the world, next season, since Amandha Sylves (20) has joined Florence and the new captain of the Bleues Héléna Cazaute (23) will play for Chieri.

The French group for Euro-2021, however, remains very young, with half of the players aged twenty or under.

The preparation gave the coach reasons for satisfaction, with friendlies narrowly lost in the tie-break against the Dutch, vice-champions of Europe in 2015 and 2017.

"We showed great things and it's nice to play against this kind of team," said Héléna Cazaute.

"In previous years, if we had asked the Netherlands to come and play, I'm not sure they would have accepted. The big teams agree to play against us, this is proof that they are starting to take us away serious ", adds the champion of France 2021 with Mulhouse.

The French Héléna Cazaute tries a smash against the Serbs Mina Popovic and Maja Ocgnjyovic, during their match of the 1st round of the Euro-2019 volleyball, May 26, 2019 in Ankara Adem ALTAN AFP / Archives

- The "crazy booster" -

"Since Emile arrived, we really have a big project compared to the 2024 Olympics. We see that the Federation supports us, we have many more days of training. And that pays, we win friendly matches that we would not have won the years before, ”explains Cazaute.

During the 1st round of Euro-2021, the Bleues challenge Serbia, double continental title holder, reigning world champion and just bronze medalist in Tokyo, and Russia, the two scarecrows in this group.

Behind there will be two places for the eighth, with Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Azerbaijan as rivals.

The joy of the Serbian volleyball players after winning the bronze medal against South Korea at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, August 8, 2021 YURI CORTEZ AFP / Archives

"We have a little regret about what happened in Ankara (at Euro-2019), where we play a big match against Bulgaria that we win 3 to 2 and then we go completely to side ", underlines Cazaute.

"We have matured and in mental strength. I hope that we will not miss out as we were able to do in Ankara," she adds.

And during the summer, the French had a huge boost from Tokyo, with the performance of their male counterparts (including Euro-2021 is scheduled from September 2 to 19), crowned Olympic champions.

"It's a crazy booster! In addition, we see that all the co-sports were qualified for the final and the only women's team that was not there was volleyball, we just wanted to be at the Olympics- 2024. It motivated me even more. It’s sure that we still have work to do, but we are there, we are doing good things, ”concludes Héléna Cazaute.

© 2021 AFP