Europe 1 with AFP 18:07 p.m., March 27, 2023

After their heavy defeat in England (4-0) in a friendly match, the Espoirs of the France team are in poor shape. On the eve of facing Spain, the under-21 internationals pass a crucial second test three months before the Euro and just over a year before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Room for doubts? The promising generation Espoirs of the France team was destabilized by a severe correction in England (4-0) on Saturday and must react this Tuesday at 18:30 against Spain in Vannes, three months before the Euro under 21. This friendly match in preparation for the European Championship (June 21 - July 8) is worth more than expected: a success would allow Sylvain Ripoll's men to save appearances and regain confidence, while a new defeat would plunge them into anxiety before their summer goal in Romania and Georgia.

The French under-21s, led by Amine Gouiri, Rayan Cherki and Benoît Badiashile, know that they are playing their place for the Euro on this gathering, the last before June. For a large part of them, it is even a rare opportunity to shine in the eyes of the coach a year and a half before the Olympic Games in Paris, where some big names of the Blues could want to enter a reduced list (18 players, including 15 born from January 1, 2001).

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Injured

But the rouste suffered in Leicester by the Blueberries revives the debate on the level and involvement of this generation, rarely beaten against weaker formations (14 matches in a row without defeat before Saturday) but guilty of concentration swings, as in the Faroe Islands in September 2021 (1-1) or against Norway more recently (1-1 in November 2022). The catastrophic second half on Saturday against the English, candidates for the European title, has in any case shown the limits of this group when several executives are absent (Eduardo Camavinga and Khéphren Thuram in the Blues, Adrien Truffert and Maxence Caqueret injured ...).

"It's not reassuring, but there are slaps that can put things back in place," said Sylvain Ripoll on Canal + after the meeting. The Breton technician has not been spared since by physical glitches, since Pierre Kalulu left the gathering for a calf discomfort, before the announcement Monday of the forfeit of Warmed Omari, another central defender. Rennes will not be replaced.

After offering a first selection to six players in England, Ripoll may be tempted to field his best eleven against Spain to avoid a new disappointment. That might smile on Gouiri and Rennes team-mate Arnaud Kalimuendo, who were substitutes at Leicester. On the other side of the pitch, the Spaniards have fewer big names than England in their squad. But they remain on a series of eight wins in a row and also apply for the European title, which the Blueberries have won only once... 35 years ago.