Olivia Epoupa and Valérie Garnier -

Darko Vojinovic / AP / SIPA

  • The French women's basketball team knows its first three opponents at the Euro next June.

    These are Russia, the Czech Republic and Croatia.

  • "The group seems rather favorable to the France team, but there is this unknown from Russia, since it has been a while since we have not played them", estimated the coach of the France team, Valérie Garnier.

  • For a place in the quarterfinals, the French will have to take first place in this group, while the second and third will have to go through a jump-off.

It could have been worse.

The French basketball players inherited from Russia, the Czech Republic and Croatia on Monday in the Euro draw.

The competition, co-organized between France and Spain from June 17 to 27, will take place in Strasbourg and Valence (Spain) for the first phase (groups, play-offs and quarterfinals), while the final phase (semi-finals, 3rd place and final ) will compete in Valencia

The French have inherited a group with three nations which have already been crowned European champions: 2005 for the Czechs, 2001 and 2009 for France, 2003, 2007 and 2011 for Russia.

But the Blue, vice-champions of Europe in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, are favorites to take first place in the group synonymous with direct place for the quarter-finals.

First place targeted to avoid roadblocks

"The group seems rather favorable to the France team, but there is this unknown from Russia, since it has been a while since we have not played them", estimated the coach of the France team, Valérie Garnier.

“Russia, we know that it is a large team in all positions.

There is a new generation that has performed in recent years, and they are led by the players from Yekaterinburg and Kursk.

That makes him a serious candidate, ”said Garnier.

For a place in the quarterfinals, the French will have to take first place in this group, while the second and third will have to go through a jump-off.

They will cross with Group C, which includes Belgium, 4th in the last 2018 World Cup, Turkey, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The French will try to overcome the curse of the last step, after the setbacks against Spain (2013, 2017, 2019) and Serbia (2015) in the final, while the last European title of the Blue dates back to 2009.

With or without an audience?

Despite the one-year postponement of the Tokyo Olympics (July 23-August 8, 2021) due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the International Federation (Fiba) maintained the Ladies Euro in June 2021, due to a busy schedule with the World Cup scheduled for 2022 in Australia.

This European Championship will serve as a dress rehearsal and launching pad towards the Olympics for the four European nations that will travel to Japan this summer, namely France, Spain, Belgium and Serbia.

Faced with the health situation, the presence of the public in Strasbourg and Valence is uncertain.

“We would like this women's Euro to be able to take place under more or less normal conditions.

We hope to have, as has been recalled by everyone, the public in the rooms, ”explained the president of the French Basketball Federation, Jean-Pierre Siutat.

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