FRANCE 98 – MatchQuotes

“FRANCE undoubtedly deserved to win and go through to the final. However, I think that with a little more concentration, we could have been there instead of them. I don’t think the substitution of BOBAN(10) was a decisive moment because he left with an injury. We weren’t alert and careful enough. What happened to us happens often in football.. We scored a goal and at that point we felt that FRANCE was looking deflated. Then we had a lapse of concentration for two fatal seconds which enabled them to equalise, and that fired them up and gave them new force that they didn’t appear to have before. The FRANCE team is very united, a very tight, balanced unit and I wish them good luck. I think that we can be proud of our achievement, but, as I said before, I feel we could have done better.”

“I think it was a very difficult match. We knew it would be hard for us because the CROATIA team can perform well and be difficult to break down. Their goal was a blow to us. But after this goal we responded well and were thus able to turn the game round. We had some good and bad patches in the match and the sending-off of Laurent BLANC (5) hit us hard. Our physical performance was lacking in the first half and we were thrown off by the technical game of the CROATIA team. They can give the impression that they are not going forward and then they suddenly stab you in the back. The end of the game was very different because, before the sending-off of Laurent BLANC (5), we had been on top. I had thought that we would finish the game on a high note, but after five matches we didn’t have the physical resources to make up for being one man short. The way we line up is with two full backs who are really attacking wing-backs. The two goals scored by Lilian THURAM (15) are a great reward for us and especially for him, because he’s had a great World Cup. Obviously when you are in the World Cup final you can only be optimistic. We’ve been preparing for this for so long, and the chance to play against the masters of world football here in FRANCE is absolutely fabulous. The logical favourite is BRAZIL. They can surpass anyone as and when they please, as they did against the NETHERLANDS. However, we’re at home and we are ready to rise to the challenge. We put in a great effort tonight and the support from the crowd was amazing. I can’t comment yet on the sending-off of Laurent BLANC (5). I’ll have to see the video, but I must say that knowing the man and the player I’d be surprised if he did anything really reprehensible. It will be tough for us without him.”

Zvonimir BOBAN (10):

“I wasn’t ready to play this evening. That explains my lack of concentration. My left leg was really hurting. We’re now going to play against THE NETHERLANDS and whatever happens we will have had a great World Cup”.

Mario STANIC (13):

“For me, we didn’t have the time to celebrate the goal we scored. In fact, we relaxed and that was fatal for us. Maybe we lacked the experience because it was our first World Cup. I congratulate my friend Lilian (THURAM) who is my team-mate at Parma. Lilian plays central defender for our club and he’s the best in the world in that position. He doesn’t play in the same position for the FRANCE team but he and Roberto CARLOS (6) are exceptional full backs. We want to finish third in our first World Cup. But it will be a difficult match”.

Davor SUKER (9):

“We gave our all. We had a chance to go through to the final. It’s going to take us a while to get used to the idea that we are not going to play on Sunday. We proved our technique and the quality of our game. I congratulate the referee. Regarding the match against THE NETHERLANDS we will be motivated and I pray that the Dutch won’t be. It will be a difficult game, but it’s better to end third than fourth”.

Alijosa ASANOVIC (7):

“We were almost there. It’s hard to say what happened. We haven’t achieved our objective. It’s true that I made a decisive pass but that doesn’t mean much. It was good not to concede a goal early on. FRANCE is a good team but not an extraordinary one. Only details made the difference between the two teams. We’re going to fight hard for the third place”.

Slaven BILIC (6):

“We were ready. Everything was going smoothly. We now have to concentrate on the match on Saturday. If we’d have held on for 5 minutes more after SUKER (9) scored, we would have won”.

Didier DESCHAMPS (7, Captain):

“We had a very good first twenty minutes then we ran into a really rough patch. They caught us cold right at the start of the second half but luckily we equalised. As for the sending off of Laurent BLANC (5), the referee, who had up till then been very good, let himself be influenced. It will perhaps be our last World Cup. Laurent (BLANC) deserved to play in the final. We’ll do our best to win for him. Tonight, BRAZIL aren’t on our minds, we’ll think about them tomorrow. We are capable of unsettling their defence. We now need a good rest. Frank LEBOEUF (18) deserves a place in the team. One man’s joy is another man’s sorrow.”

Fabien BARTHEZ (16):

“This evening my thoughts are with Laurent BLANC (5). On Sunday, we’ll play for him and if we win the Cup, that will also be for him. When we conceded the first goal we hit back very quickly and I’m really pleased for Lilian THURAM (15) who scored a great pair of goals. Its promising for the future. I know the BRAZIL team well and I just hope that on Sunday it will be a really magnificent game of football.”

Laurent BLANC (5):

“Regarding my sending-off, players on both sides had been provoking one another. BILIC (6) persisted in having a go at me. The referee indicated that he thought I had hit BILIC, but I don’t think he saw what actually happened. I thought I’d get a yellow card but when I saw the red card I respected the referee’s decision. For me this is a moment of utter solitude, a personal catastrophe, but the team spirit will help me to get over my disappointment. I’ve had my piece of the cake but unfortunately I won’t be getting a taste of the cherry.”

Bixente LIZARAZU (3):

“The CROATIA team was technically very strong and sly, as proven by the sending-off of Laurent BLANC (5). This sending-off could have had more serious consequences as we have already seen in this World Cup. I still can’t believe that we are in the final”.

Youri DJORKAEFF (6):

“I cannot find the words to describe our reaching the final. We are thrilled to fulfil our dream. When they opened the scoring, we didn’t have time to worry about it and we responded immediately. I’m now thinking of that essay I wrote when I was 12 in primary school saying that I would one day play in a World Cup final.”

Stéphane GUIVARC’H (9):

“Youri (DJORKAEFF 6) likes to drop back and I find myself playing alone in a centre forward role. It was a relentless struggle. We can’t believe we’ve won and it will only sink in tomorrow. We will give everything we’ve got in order to win. We’ve seen that the BRAZIL team is not the giant it is made out to be because they have conceded several goals. We must now concentrate on recuperating physically. Games like this are always hard but getting through them is the most important thing.

Emmanuel PETIT (17):

“It’s historic and there’s only one more step to climb. The final will be the hardest match but the most amazing to play in. Like the Brazilians, we suffered physically. We went right off the boil towards the end of the first half. Our defence fell back a bit and then we put more pressure on them. I trust Frank LEBOEUF (18) completely. He’s a star in England and is used to big matches. FRANCE’s qualification for the final shows our defensive strength. It will be an open final. We’re playing for the supreme title and we’re going to get it”.