The host country of the Euro 2016, France inherited from a
rather nice and easy group, even if you should not look very far to find
examples of matches during which Romania, Swiss and Albania caused problems to
the Fench. Certainly the last World cup allowed to refocus his watch-making
neighbors, but he would be maybe impertinent for the French to bury so fast his
opponents. Focus on the group A, a group seemingly too simple, but seemingly
only.
France : The host country (8 participations / Winner in 1984
and 2000 / Semifinalist in 1996 / Fourth in 1960 / 21th in the Fifa ranking)
To try to gain its third European championship of nations
(on 1984 and 2000), the second at home, the French team can count on the
beginning of competition widely in its reach. June 10th, at the Stade de
France, theater of the world coronation in 1998, Blues will face Romania. The
Romanians had not qualified themselves during the last Euro. Their best
performance is a quarterfinal in 2000.
June 15th, French people will be set against the Albanians
in Marseille. It is the first participation of this country in the Euro. Even
if on June 13th, 2015, Albania had beaten France 1-0 in Tirana, this opponent
seems within the reach of the mens of Didier Deschamps.
Finally, on June 19th, it is an old acquaintance whom the
French players will meet : Switzerland. Last summer in Brazil, during the World
cup, France had been win 5-2. In the World cup 2006, both teams had separated
on a draw ( 0-0 ) whereas in the first ballot of the Euro 2004, Blues had taken
it 3-1.
The selector of Blues, Didier Deschamps, showed himself
suspicious: " the objective is to finish the first one of the group.
Switzerland, even if that passed well in the World Cup against them, that
remains a very good nation, that remains the bravest opponent of this group,
without offending two other teams. Albania, we can say what we want, we did not
win against them, we even lost against them this summer. Romania, we know less,
but we looked at its results in the phases of qualification for the Euro 2016,
and they tookonly two goals (better defense of the qualifications), we are
going to work on that with the staff. "
Coach :
Last selection:
- Goalkeepers
: Lloris Hugo / Steve Mandanda / Benoît Costil
- Full-backs : Digne / Evra / Jallet / Koscielny /
Mathieu / Sagna / Sakho / Varane
- Midfields : Cabaye / Diarra / Kanté / Matuidi /
Pogba / Sissoko
- Strikers : Coman / Gignac / Giroud / Griezmann /
Martial / Payet
The possible pleasant surprises :
- Alphonse Areola (Goalkeepers) : While the idea
to see him returning to Paris the next season by disputing the place of Kevin
Trapp makes its way, he was relegated on the bench of Villarreal for the
benefit of Asenjo to League Europa and against Getafe. A situation which should
bury its last hopes in spite of a big season in Spain.
- Layvin Kurzawa (Full-back) : He took advantage
of the Parisian festival against Caen to accumulate time of game and give a
magnificent center to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Four decisive passes and three goals.
- Benoît Trémoulinas (Full house-back) : Hurt in
the thigh, he did not participate in the puffing qualification of Seville in
semi-finals of the League Europa nor in the division of points this weekend
against La Corogne. He still has time to catch with the end of exciting season
which waits for Sévillans.
- Sébastien Corchia (Full-back) : A good service
against Ajaccio with a magnificent center for the more sublime goal of Sofiane
Boufal. On the other hand, those who underline his physical limits will have
noticed that he is bulged and almost stamped on the second goal of the Gasmen.
Develop the muscle of your game, Sébastien. It would have not bad been to test
him at least once before the Euro not?
- Morgan Schneiderlin (Midfield) : He moved on as
holder against Aston Villa with 90 minutes and a victory. He has four championship
matches and FA CUP to take his seat back.
- Hatem Ben Arfa (Midfield) : What a very
beautiful season in Nice, Hatem Ben Arfa well hopes to be of the list of 23
Didier Deschamps's Blues for the Euro 2016. The third better striker of League
1 with from now on 17 goals, Hatem Ben Arfa finally seems to answer, in 29
years, the promises placed in him of the time of his learning in the INF
Clairefontaine or during his young years of Lyons. What to lead to forget the
feeling of waste which sticks on him on the skin since his exile in England, in
Newcastle then Hull City, and which he recognizes easily. Former Magpie makes a
success even of his best season in career. Of what to show himself ambitious
while he is at the end of contract in the OGC Nice and while is outlined the
Euro 2016 in France. And if he refuses, he assures, to think of his future in
club, asserting be able to take a new term in Nice while the PSG, Chelsea or
the Atlético Madrid or the Juventus would be interested in him, HBA is obsessed
well and truly by the prospect to compete for the Euro at home.
For them the euro is compromised :
- Jérémy Mathieu : Since he is hurt, Barça is in
crisis. The link of cause with effect is obvious. No?
- Mamadou Sakho : Positive during a dope test made
March 17th, in 8th of finale return of the League Europa against Manchester
United, he will maybe be deprived of euro.
- Frank Ribéry : He chains the titularisations and
was in all the good blows against Stuttgart. Thus if ever Didier Deschamps
wants a little of experience in front of or to make a big gamble on the post of
right back ...
Albania, finally into the deep end (1st participation / 45th
in the Fifa ranking)
Well, we are not going to fool ourself either, on the paper,
Albania makes figure of Tom Thumb (with the Northern Ireland) or let us say
rather of scarecrow. Indeed for their first appearance in an international
competition, the team taken by the Italian technician Gianni de Biasi will not
have so much to lose. The first phase was of an exemplary efficiency, with only
7 goals, the second place especially torn away in depends on Denmark after an
unhoped-for victory in front of Portugal. One might as well say that Albania
knows how to play it patient in defense, to contain the opposite attacks to fall
better forwards thanks to its mid-court young person Taulant Xhaka (Granit Xhaka
brother who is in Switzerland's team).
Coach :
Last selection :
- Goalkeepers :
Etrit Berisha / Orges Shehi / Alban Hoxha
- Full-backs :
Andi Lila / Elseid Hysaj / Lorik Cana / Berat Djimsiti / Ansi Agolli / Arlind
Ajeti / Naser Aliji / Frédéric Veseli / Mërgim Mavraj
- Midfields
: Ermir Lenjani / Migjen Basha / Ledian Memushaj / Shkëlzen Gashi / Burim
Kukeli / Taulant Xhaka / Herolind Shala / Odise Roshi / Amir Abrashi / Ergys
Kaçe / Milot Rashica
- Strikers :
Armando Sadiku / Sokol Cikalleshi / Bekim Balaj
The players to follow :
The team-mates of Lorik Cana (Full-back) ally a big
commitment to undeniable technical qualities with Gashi (Midfield), T. Xhaka
(Midfield), Lenjani (Midfield), Hysaj (Full-back).
Switzerland has to cross the first phase (4 participations /
14th in the ranking Fifa)
The objective of the Swiss seems relatively simple, to cross
finally the phase of group of an Euro, it who always ended last one during her
previous three exercises. Taken by a talented and experimented generation
(Shaqiri, Inler, Behrami to quote only them), Switzerland will be eager to
represent well and to lead to forget her supporters the disappointment of the
Euro 2008. The trainer Vladimir Petkovic managed to qualify his team, not
without difficulty, after a really catastrophic departure, before ending on an
impressive series and especially 17 registered goals. The second place that beckons them, to avoid the Albanian and
Rumanian stumbling blocks.
Coach :
Last selection :
- Goalkeepers :
Bürki Roman / Hitz Marwin / Sommer Yann
- Full-backs :
Djourou Johannes / Elvedi Nico / Klose Timm / Lang Michael / Lichtsteiner
Stephan / Lustenberger Fabian / Moubandje Jacques François / Rodriguez Ricardo
/ Schär Fabian / Senderos Philippe / Von Bergen Steve / Widmer Silvan
- Midfields
: Behrami Valon / Dzemaili Blerim / Fernandes Gelson / Frei Fabian / Inler
Gökhan / Kasami Pajtim / Shaqiri Xherdan / Steffen Renato / Stocker Valentin /
Xhaka Granit / Zuffi Luca
- Strikers :
Derdiyok Eren / Drmic Josip / Embolo Breel Donald / Mehmedi Admir /
Seferovic Haris / Tarashaj Shani
The players to follow :
Taken by a talented and experimented generation :
Lichtsteiner, Schär, Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Xhaka, Inler, Behrami to quote only
them
Romania, real outsider (4 participations / 16th in the Fifa
ranking)
Let us be honest, it is far the time of Romania which
illuminated the World cup 1994 of its talent. This being said a statistics
speaks in their favor : only two goals granted during the matches of the first
phases and especially no granted defeat, what makes of Romania the best team of
the phases of qualification, at least in defense. At the level of the attack,
the Rumanian team seems inexperienced, a lack of knowledge of the high level
widely filled by the talent of its new nuggets, Claudiu Bumba and especially
Alexandru Maxim, the explosive offensive midfield of Stuttgart.
Coach :
Last selection :
- Goalkeepers :
Ciprian Tătăruşanu / Costel Pantilimon / Silviu Lung Jr.
- Full-backs :
Vlad Chiricheș / Dragoș Grigore / Alexandru Mățel / Valerică Găman /
Cristian Săpunaru / Cosmin Moți / Steliano Filip / Alin Toșca
- Midfields
: Gabriel Torje / Mihai Pintilii / Ovidiu Hoban / Lucian Sânmărtean /
Adrian Popa / Adrian Ropotan / Nicolae Stanciu / Florin Tănase
- Strikers :
Bogdan Stancu / Claudiu Keserü / Raul Rusescu / Florin Andone / Andrei Ivan
/ Ioan Hora
The star :
- Ciprian
Tătăruşanu (Goalkeepers ) : Fiorentina Holder, the Rumanian guard
symbolizes in the perfection the iron defense of the Rumanian team. With its
meter 98, Tătăruşanu feels at ease obviously rather in the air game. However,
it does not prevent him from being also successful and skillful on the goal
line. Other high quality, its serenity on the mental plan.
The young talents which should be there :
- Claudiu Bunba (Midfield) : A multi-purpose and
very talented player who can decide him alone on the fate of a match. Younger,
he seemed to be a classic winger, but he now discovered that he could be
important in the game, with more responsibility.
- Alexandru Maxim (Midfield) : The explosive
offensive midfield of Stuttgart.
