In the upcoming Euro 1/8 final on July 2, Beijing time, Belgium will face the powerful French team. In the pre-match press conference, Belgium manager Tedesco showed his confidence in the team, making it clear that the team is ready to beat France.
Tedesco began by emphasizing the importance of the match, "We are here to advance. France is a formidable opponent and this game is either to advance or be eliminated, so it has a special significance. As we felt after our previous loss to Slovakia, we can't afford any more relaxation and must remain highly focused."
Regarding the game strategy, Tedesco said that although it is not the right time to reveal the specific plan, the team is well prepared and has the ability to adapt and respond quickly. "A soccer game is not just a battle of tactics, but also a battle of mentality and adaptability. We need to have more than one plan and be ready to make adjustments based on the situation on the field."
Speaking about the diamond midfield formation that France might adopt, Tedesco said that the team is prepared for it. "The last time they used this formation was in 2021, and if our opponents are trying to adapt to us, it's actually a good sign that our tactics don't give them much to work with. Of course, it could also have something to do with France's own tactical choices."
Tedesco also mentioned the impact of the head-to-head record between the two teams on the psyche of the players. "The record of past meetings will undoubtedly remain in the players' memories, but I wouldn't overemphasize that. It's more about us focusing on the present and how we can play our best in this game. We have a lot to motivate ourselves and the players are ready for it."
Speaking about the team's offensive ability, Tedesco said that although the team only scored two goals in the group stage, it doesn't mean that the team lacks offensive ability. "That's the way the game of soccer is, sometimes it's not easy to score goals. But it's important that we keep our confidence and patience and believe that we can capitalize on our chances at crucial moments. The same goes for France, who only beat Austria 1-0, but they are not to be underestimated."
Finally, Tedesco expressed his trust in all the members of the team: "I believe that all our players have the ability to play well in the game. The only problem is that we can only put 11 people on the field, because everyone is ready to play, which makes it very difficult to choose who to put on the bench. But no matter who plays, we will give it our all, even go beyond our limits and fight to reach the last eight of the Europa League."
