Jean-François Pérès (in Doha), edited by Gauthier Delomez
modified to
07:28, December 14, 2022
The France team crosses the selection of Morocco this Wednesday to win the second ticket for the final of the World Cup in Qatar, and join Argentina. If they will start the meeting with the costume of favorite, the Blues are wary of the Moroccan collective strength which has proven itself throughout the tournament.
He is one of the most familiar and unlikely opponents to stand in the way of Didier Deschamps’ men. The France team faces Morocco on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup – a match to be followed live and in full on Europe 1, official radio – for a new moment in history for French football. The reigning world champions are favorites to join Argentina, qualified on Tuesday, and play a fourth final after 1998, 2006 and 2018, but they are wary of Moroccans who are riding a wave of confidence and popularity.
It is this Morocco, 22nd nation in the world and of which several players and the coach Walid Regragui were born in France, which will stand in front of the Blues.
Morocco, “a collective force that emerges”
A month ago, the odds of the Atlas Lions among punters exceeded 100 to one. A huge rating far from being topical today, after their prestigious victories during this World Cup against Belgium, Spain and Portugal. The first African nation qualified for the semi-finals of the competition is living a waking dream, and seems to have found the perfect balance between a passionate environment and optimal concentration.
This is what worries the defender and vice-captain of the Blues, Raphaël Varane. “They are writing the history of Moroccan football, so it is also a collective force that emerges,” he explained at a press conference. “It’s a team that is united, united”, continues the number 4 tricolor, “so we expect a difficult match”.
France and the experience of major matches
Indeed, the Blues will face a wall on Wednesday evening. Morocco have conceded only one goal since the start of the tournament. Around the extraordinary goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, the Moroccan defense is as rough as it is tireless. Attackers also know how to turn the crumbs left behind by the opponent into solid gold.
But with Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembélé, as well as an experience of big matches far superior to that of the Atlas Lions, France has all the assets to warm the bodies and hearts of its millions of supporters.