Tallinn (AFP)

After a controlled first match against Slovakia (3-0), the French volleyball players want to continue at Euro-2021 against Croatia on Sunday (6 p.m.), before a first test on Monday against Germany.

"It's true that these are teams below us, but in volleyball it can be complicated, it can turn quickly in a direction that we do not expect. You have to be super vigilant even against a team that is supposed to be less strong than us ", is wary the sharp Blues Jean Patry, leading scorer against Slovakia Friday with 17 points (as much as Earvin Ngapeth).

"It will be necessary to take it with a lot of seriousness and serenity too. We must not put the pressure on ourselves and that is how we are better. It will be another good game. All the matches that come, we must take it as a big fight, ”added one of the heroic Olympic champions just four weeks ago in Tokyo.

Frenchman Jean Patry tries a smash, during the quarter-final against Poland, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, August 3, 2021 Antonin THUILLIER AFP / Archives

The French, European champions in 2015, are aiming for a second continental coronation for the first as coach of the Brazilian Bernardinho, legend of the volleyball planet and who succeeded Laurent Tillie at the head of the France team at 62 years old.

Sunday in Tallinn, on the shores of the Baltic where the Blues are playing the 1st round of Euro-2021, Croatia will be on their way.

On paper, there is no photo between Benjamin Toniutti's teammates, installed among the world's elite, and the Croats, modestly classified in 44th place in the world and 22nd in Europe.

The last time the Blues faced Croatia in official competition, it was on their way to the 2015 continental coronation, and the gang in Ngapeth that was then called "Team Yavbou" had won quite easily 3 sets to 0.

The French Earvin Ngapeth spikes against the Croatian Sime Vulin, during their group match at the European Championships, October 9, 2015 in Turin MARCO BERTORELLO AFP / Archives

"Frankly, I don't really know this team. We will analyze it in video, I know that the passer (Tsimafei Zhukouski, Editor's note) was N.2 in Perugia", one of the best clubs in the world, explains Patry without really knowing what to expect for this second game.

Monday evening at 7:00 p.m., the French will take their first full-scale test against Germany, which finds its pointed massive Georg Grozer, convinced by his daughters to come out of his international retirement to compete in the European Championship.

In a group also including Latvia and Estonia, the German team, which corrected Croatia in three sets (25-20, 25-13, 25-19), is probably the only one able to prevent the Blues from finishing in the 1st place promised to them since the draw at the end of May.

© 2021 AFP