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Second consecutive day without a Euro match. The opportunity for the teams still in the running to sharpen their game plans before the start of the semi-finals, starting tomorrow at 9 pm at Wembley between Italians and Spaniards, revenge for the Euro 2012 final won by La Roja. England and Denmark will compete on Wednesday, same time and same place, for the second ticket to the final.
Euro star: Sergio Busquets
In three games, he recalled what kind of player he was. Positive for the coronavirus and absent from Spain’s first two meetings in the group stage (two draws against Sweden and Poland), Sergio Busquets returned to La Roja’s eleven against Slovakia. And as luck would have it, the team found its flamboyant game with its conductor at the bat, to scatter the opponent like a puzzle (5-0).
“The Busquets game is a practical handbook for midfielders. On what a pivot must do in defense and attack. We know the importance he has for the group ”, said coach Luis Enrique after this recital. From the top of his 126 capes, Sergio Busquets is the captain of La Roja, and even more than that, his true leader and his hub.
Against Slovakia, then in the round of 16 against Croatia, he was named man of the match. World champion in 2010 and European champion in 2012, the Barça player shines in the Spain jersey and makes his young midfield teammates shine, like 18-year-old Pedri. He will try to do it again on Tuesday, against Italy.
Meanwhile… Messi and Argentina in the Copa semi-finals
A gol. Dos asistencias. Más ángulos del partido del 🔟 🇦🇷 ¿Qué más podemos pedir? 😍 # VibraElContinente… https://t.co/5ZPCEBkaL4
It is not just the Euro in life. In Brazil, the best South American footballers are currently playing in the Copa America. And who says better footballers says Lionel Messi, still sparkling to allow Argentina to qualify for the semi-finals. Facing Ecuador on the night from Saturday to Sunday, the “Pulga” delivered a master class punctuated by a goal and two assists, for an easy victory (3-0).
Argentina will meet Colombia in the semi-finals, while Brazil and Peru will face each other in the other poster of this last square. Finalist of the World Cup in 2014 and the Copa America in 2007, 2015 and 2016, Lionel Messi hopes this year to win a first international title with his selection (only the 2008 Olympic Games are on his list).
In the skylight: always easier at home
The four Euro semi-finalists played the first round at home. From the public, less travel: at the end of a… https://t.co/oa6EmC0zrs
What do Spain, Italy, Denmark and England have in common? Answer: these four teams had the chance to play their three group matches in front of their home crowd. A possible advantage thanks to the particularity of this Euro, played in no less than eleven different countries. And who will continue to favor the English, who will play their semi-final against Denmark on Wednesday, then a possible final on July 11, at Wembley Stadium in London.
Playing in front of your audience means having your bearings, avoiding travel and not suffering from jet lag. On the contrary, Switzerland, for example, had to change the time zone four times between its first group match, in Baku, and its quarter-final lost to Spain, in Saint Petersburg. “It’s not great in terms of preparation”, complained the coach of the Nati, Vladimir Petkovic, before the meeting. Difficult to prove him wrong.
Corner of the sky (almost) blue: Lucas Hernandez operated
Lucas Hernandez will have to take his illness patiently. Injured in the left knee against Portugal during the group stage, the left side of the France team was successfully operated, as communicated by his club, Bayern Munich, on Sunday.
The Bavarian club added that Lucas Hernandez will immediately begin rehabilitation, with a view to returning to the pitch in the coming weeks. The 25-year-old was an indisputable holder of Didier Deschamps’ team, and helplessly witnessed the defeat of the Blues in the round of 16 against Switzerland.
“We’re going to spend a day chatting. He’s a friend, someone who has never disappointed since I took him ”
Continue to ? Will not continue? Since the end of the Euro for the Blues and the surprise elimination in the round of 16 against Switzerland, the future of Didier Deschamps is at the heart of all speculation. Guest of the program “Téléfoot” on Sunday, the president of the French Football Federation, Noël Le Graët, was unclear about the future of the coach, under contract until 2022.
“I did not say he was going to continue, we will discuss. We must verify that we have the same objectives and ambitions between the Federation and the coach. We are going to take a look at what went wrong and what we can do better ”, explained the boss of French football, adding that a meeting with Deschamps was scheduled for the week. In office since 2012, Deschamps led the Blues to the Euro 2016 final and to the world title in 2018.
The failure of the Blues, the future of Deschamps, the return of Benzema: this morning, Noël Le Graet confided in … https://t.co/bEudAbDidq
Our selection of articles on Euro 2021
