France will face the mighty Portugal in the upcoming UEFA Europa League quarterfinals in the early hours of Saturday morning Beijing time. Before the match, France's head coach Deschamps attended a press conference to give his views on issues related to the match.
Regarding who will replace the suspended Rabio, Deschamps said he has a variety of options and humorously mentioned that the team wore their home team jerseys for the photo shoot, but that it was just to express the unforgettable emotion and had nothing to do with the match lineup. He emphasized that the overall condition of the team is good and the medical team is making final preparations for the match.
Speaking about his thoughts on Portugal, Deschamps said it is a battle of strengths. He noted that Portugal likes to attack and that France will try to control the tempo of the game in order to counter Portugal's offense. He specifically mentioned Roberto Martinez's tactical style and said that France will be well prepared.
Regarding the performance of Mbappe and Griezmann at this year's Euros, Deschamps said that they are both trying to adapt to the rhythm of the game. He admitted that Mbappe encountered some problems before the game, but now the state has recovered well. As for Griezmann, Deschamps said his performance has been relatively stable, but there is still room for improvement in the technical level. He called on fans and the media to give the player more support and encouragement.
Reflecting on the Euro 2016 final, Deschamps said the game was intense and memorable. He admitted that the loss was painful, but also emphasized that France's goal now is to focus on the game at hand. He believes the best teams have gathered on the Euro stage and France are ready for it.
Speaking about Mbappe's comments asking people to support Griezmann, Deschamps said that Griezmann is not frustrated and that he remains positive. He also mentioned that players such as Marcos Thuram also need to be judged fairly. Deschamps emphasized that he is more concerned about the atmosphere within the team and the mental health of the players.
On the issue of fewer substitutions for France in this Euro, Deschamps said it was based on the intensity of the game and the players' form. He mentioned that Mouani played well against Belgium, but substitution decisions are not easy to make.
Finally, Deschamps spoke about his thoughts on Crowe. He said that Crowe has always been a threat on the offensive end and has the ability to decide games. He praised Crowe as a very good competitor and emphasized that France will respect every opponent. Regarding the upcoming match, Deschamps said it will be a tight matchup, but he believes that France is capable of coming out on top.
