Antoine Griezmann Vital to France Making a Winning Euro 2016 Start vs. Romania
France kick off the 2016 UEFA European Championship against Romania at Stade de France, Paris, on Friday, and Didier Deschamps’ men will be expected to make a fast start against the Tricolorii.
The hosts are two-time winners of the tournament, and two of their three international titles have come on home soil.
Les Bleus are considered among the favourites to lift the trophy this summer, and looking at the squad that Deschamps has assembled—despite a number of injured absentees—it is easy to see why.
TOP NEWS
Projecting Spain's World Cup Squad 🇪🇸
World Cup Power Rankings 📊
.jpg?w=256)
Disappointing NBA Playoff Stars 😔
The likes of Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, Juventus’ Paul Pogba, Paris Saint-Germain’s Blaise Matuidi and West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet are just a few of the players expected to shine for the French at home over the next six weeks.
As Spain demonstrated at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil back in 2014, though, being placed in that bracket can put even the top teams under pressure, and some of them crack.
La Furia Roja were eliminated in the group stage, and although that appears unlikely to happen to France here, it is not a foregone conclusion that Deschamps and his players will enjoy an ultimately glorious campaign.
If the 47-year-old is to guide his France squad to eventual success, then they will need to make a fast start against Romania in Paris.
Deschamps admitted to journalists after Les Bleus’ 3-0 friendly win over Scotland in Metz last weekend that home support will play a big role this summer.
After the final whistle, the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning former captain said: “It's great to have this fervour. People love the France team and are behind the lads. That's important for the players. It doesn't score goals for you but it does create an atmosphere in which players can transcend themselves. It's an extra force, and it should never be something negative.”
From the starting XI against Scotland at Stade Saint-Symphorien last Saturday, there is only expected to be one change, and that's Griezmann replacing Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman on the right of the French attack.
Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud is in form, having scored three goals in the last two friendly fixtures, while Payet appears to have won the race to start on the left side of the Gunners star.
That leaves the right-sided berth, and although Coman has impressed since stepping up to senior international level, Griezmann’s excellent form for club and country over the past 12 months puts him ahead of the Bayern man.
The Atletico star scored 32 times in 51 appearances across all competitions at club level in the season just gone. Despite those superb numbers from a central-striking support role, Deschamps will play the 25-year-old out wide and grant him licence to tuck inside.
With Giroud confident and in form on the eve of the tournament, it makes sense for the former Olympique de Marseille coach to keep the 29-year-old as the physical focal point of the attack.
However, despite the Arsenal man’s prolific recent form, Griezmann’s importance to this France side has not lessened, and it will be he who truly leads up top.
The man from Macon is a vital part of Deschamps’ team, and his ability to create and finish chances out wide and in the middle means that the hosts’ goal threat is immediately greater than many other participating nations.
Since disappointing in the 1-0 friendly defeat away at Albania almost exactly one year ago, Griezmann has developed greatly at international level.
The former Real Sociedad star benefited from the injury to Olympique Lyonnais’ Nabil Fekir in the 1-0 win away at Portugal last September and since then has been superb for club and country.
That evening at Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, was the first time that Deschamps tried Griezmann on the right and moving into a supporting central role, and it worked perfectly.
Following that narrow victory, the France No. 7 helped his team to wins over the likes of Serbia, Armenia, the Netherlands and Russia.
Griezmann is primed to perform this summer, and he is now in the perfect position to do so. Fuelled by the disappointment of losing to Real Madrid in the recent UEFA Champions League final, the Atleti star’s motivation will be high.
Before the Frenchman joined up with his international team-mates, Deschamps admitted to RMC Radio (h/t ESPN FC’s Mark Rodden) that keeping Griezmann fresh was a slight concern.
The 47-year-old said: “He's moving up the levels. His consistency and efficiency at the moment are of a very, very high level. He's always had quality—he needs to remain fresh. He's still young, but he needs to manage that a little bit.”
However, in the same interview, Deschamps tried to view Diego Simeone’s demanding approach with Atletico in a positive light with regards to Griezmann.
The French tactician said: “Yes, certainly. But it's done him good as well because he had a tendency of having highs and lows. Now he knows that it's every match, every week. He's strong athletically. With the accumulation of matches, he has the right to be a little tired, but he's so fresh in his mind that it will go well.”
Griezmann was expected to be hot property on this summer’s transfer market, but as reported by L’Equipe (h/t AS in English), the Atletico No. 7 has extended his contract at Vicente Calderon through to 2021.
Because of this new deal, the Frenchman will already have peace of mind about his future and will be able to concentrate fully on this summer’s tournament and securing ultimate glory for the host nation.
That focus will be key for Deschamps’ men going into their Group A opener against Romania because Anghel Iordanescu’s men only conceded twice throughout their entire qualification campaign, so they will be difficult to break down.
If France are to make a winning start to Euro 2016, then Griezmann will need to be at his best to help Giroud and Payet break down Romania's stiff back line.
.jpg?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Latest NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "QBs Under Most Pressure ♨️")
