For the third time in three years, Sweden will face France in the semi-finals of a championship.

The Swedes won the semifinals in the WC 2021, but the national team captain Glenn Solberg still chose to downplay the expectations ahead of the meeting in the EC 2022.

- It is 70/30 to France.

We are underdogs, Solberg told SVT Sport at the time.

Even then it was a Swedish victory.

"Doesn't mean we should be favourites"

But according to Solberg, France are still clear favourites.

- It's maybe 65/35, Solberg laughs when he addresses his comment from last year. 

- I still think France are favorites and I think that because they have a lot more experience in this type of game and have won a lot in the last 10, 15, 20 years with these players.

But you have two straight semi-final wins against them?

- It's true.

We believe in ourselves and that we can win the game.

But that doesn't mean we should be favorites against a team that has won the Olympics, World Cup and European Championships in 10-15 years.

Needs to stop the counter play

Solberg believes that the adjustment game will be an important key in the semi-final against France.

- We must rise to our absolute highest level in defense, continue to counter and at the same time prevent their counterattacks.

The semi-final between Sweden and France starts at 21:00 tonight.

In the second semi-final, Denmark and Spain meet at 18:00.

CLIP: Gottfridsson on missing the rest of the WC: "Come some tears"

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Jim Gottfridsson's WC adventure is over after the injury.

Photo: Bildbyrån