From our special correspondent in Budapest,

The most complicated match of this group stage was perhaps not hiding where we thought.

The Blues broke their teeth in Budapest against valiant Hungary, already close to the feat against Portugal.

The France team were held to a 1-1 draw for their second match at Euro 2021, and will watch all the more closely what will happen tonight between Portugal and Germany even if the qualification is already almost assured with this best third rule.

Les Bleus surprised by the Hungarian rhythm

The wind often changes direction during a football match, but it took us little more than two minutes - the time that Benjamin Pavard found himself on the ground - to understand that the Blues were preparing to live a painful afternoon.

The Blues have experienced all the trouble in the world to adapt to the rhythm imposed by their opponent, galvanized by an overexcited stride, and which, failing to be dangerous, annihilated any attempt to advance the French by a good positioning or a greater commitment to the first impact.

It will take a good quarter of an hour and a good combination between Benzema, Digne, and Mbappé, whose uncrossed head grazed the post of Gulasci (17th), to see the Blues finally dominate.

Benzema, the lack of confidence

Like the Portuguese at the start of the week, Deschamps' men often played eleven in the Hungarian half of the field, with Varane as the first raiser, Kanté close to the surface and Mbappé, Benzema and Grizou in the large rectangle.

If they had difficulty walking between the tight lines, the Blues still managed to make their way through this traffic jam worthy of the worst hours of the ring road.

But the finish went wrong.

We think of Griezmann, and his incredible failure (admittedly offside), and especially Karim Benzema, who spoiled the formidable work done upstream by Mbappé with a shot that oozed lack of confidence (31st).

No, for the moment, this KB19 is not that of Real.

Fiola offers ecstasy to the Hungarian people

Unfortunately for the France team, friend Fiola asked himself fewer questions when it came time to appear alone in front of Hugo Lloris in the stoppage time of the first period, after having caught a cold Benjamin Pavard - who could not tempt the devil after taking a yellow - and beating Varane in the race.

Explosion in the stadium, howls of joy, chants, the total.

The noise comes mainly from the left, the eardrums vibrate while, on the French side, everyone is tearing their hair out.

The worst part is that it is not entirely undeserved: at half-time, Hungary had framed one shot more than France.

Kyky and Grizou, them again

Go, after that, overthrow a team supported by tens of thousands of voices whose echo resonates with each interception, each release, each rescue of their charges.

Didier Deschamps almost succeeded with the entry of Ousmane Dembélé instead of a very timid Adrien Rabiot in the 56th minute: the Barça player will find the right post of Hungary after a first catch of the ball borrowed from his signature.

The salvation of the Blues will finally come from a counter-attack following a Hungarian corner, as if to tell us once again that this team does not know how to score otherwise.

Opportunist, Antoine Griezmann came to finish in the area a colossal job cut down by Mbappé.

Recovery, fixation, then center.

Thanks WHO ?

Thanks Kyky.

A little short physically?

After appearing so strong against Germany, the world champions gave the impression of having no more than the equalizer in their legs.

Less talented, the Hungarians were sharper until the last second.

Even N'Golo Kanté, usually so sovereign in the movements and the debauchery of energy was exceeded by the liveliness of the players of Marco Rossi.

Did the Blues suffer from the weather conditions?

In the end, they came out with a draw, but they still lost something: a lot of the lessons we thought we had learned from the win over Mannschaft.

Sport

France - Hungary: Why will Benjamin Pavard hold the title despite the huge buffer received against Germany?

  • French football team

  • Sport

  • Euro 2021

  • Hungary

  • Antoine griezmann

  • Kylian Mbappé