A match a priori won in advance, at the Parc des Princes, to qualify for a World Cup ... Didier Deschamps saw the thing happen as big as a house, Monday, when a colleague started to throw it on the cataclysm of the end of 1993, and the disastrous France-Israel and France-Bulgaria.

The coach, in the front row during these fiascos, did not give him time to finish his question.

"If it reminds of something?

Really not, he swept away, smiling (anyway).

There is only for you… Of course it was at the Park, but what is behind is behind, nothing can be changed.

Some players were not born.

"

"It shouldn't be repeated, that's all"

Honestly, despite all the bad faith that characterizes us, we had not even thought for a second of this parallel when thinking of the two matches that are coming for the France team.

Solid leaders of their group, the Blues are only one victory away from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, while Kazakhstan looms at home on Saturday, then Finland, three days later.

Opponents with a lesser pedigree than at the time - even if they had nothing terrifying -, and especially a recent history which is absolutely not comparable. Unable to qualify for Euro 88 and the World 90, eliminated in the first round of Euro 92, the Blues were sorely lacking in certainty. We can say without going too far that things have changed since then, at the same time as the prize list has thickened.

“Having experience brings vigilance so as not to believe that you are qualified before you are qualified,” says DD.

This is still the lesson.

It happened, it shouldn't be repeated, that's all.

“Before being asked about this bad memory, the coach himself had laid the foundations for this rally, anyway.

When answering a question about his intentions to run or not on these two meetings, he recalled that it would not be the fair.

Time this time

"We must first make sure to qualify in our first game, we'll see then," he observed.

All our energy and our concentration must be focused on this, especially not to believe ourselves qualified before playing, because it is Kazakhstan, because this, because that… ”No excuses, therefore, not to fold the case on Saturday.

Especially since, a luxury as rare as it is appreciable, the Blues have this time a whole week to prepare well.

“I'm not going to complain,” commented the boss.

Initially, this allows to have a total recovery on all the players.

Secondly, to have training sessions that we had not had in September or March (because of a match scheduled for Wednesday), it's better at all levels.

"

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  • Didier Deschamps

  • French football team

  • World Cup 2022

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