Italy-France – L. Blanc: “We produced more than Italy”

Match n°57: ITALY-FRANCE (quarter final) – Mixed Zone – Statements by FRANCE team players (II)

 Didier DESCHAMPS (7, captain):

“Tactically, everything went well this evening. We controlled the game. KAREMBEU (19) and PETIT (17) pushed up a lot on the wings. The team’s great strength was in midfield. We missed three chances and you can’t afford to against ITALY. Lilian THURAM (15) was a key figure in our attack. But it was difficult for me. The defenders simply had to defend. The further we go in this competition, the harder the matches get. Zizou (ZIDANE – 10) did a great job in midfield. His technical ability brought him through. We must get to the final. We have a competitive team and we must go further. GERMANY will most certainly get to the semi-final because they are stronger than CROATIA”.

Fabien BARTHEZ (16):

“Regarding the penalties, the people you should really congratulate are those who take them. The pressure is really on them. The goalkeeper just has to try to block. First of all, well done to the players. As for me, in such a situation I prefer to be left alone rather than be encouraged. This match has been like all the others, I had one or two things to do and after that I was just waiting for the final release”.

Stéphane GUIVARC’H (9):

“This win in the penalty shoot-outs is more than just a relief. It was a tight match, just like the one against PARAGUAY. The Italians didn’t come forward much and there was always the risk of a counter-attack. This win is down to the team who rightly deserve it. I always enjoy this kind of game. It was very exciting. If you offer me a place in the final through a penalty shoot-out, I’ll buy it straight away. As for my performance, I felt really sharp again and happy with my positioning. I felt good and it was a great evening”.

Laurent BLANC (5):

“We didn’t set ourselves any limits for this World Cup. We are here to win the final. We’ve two more matches to win. We expected a very tight match because of the way the Italians play. It’s very difficult to score goals against ITALY. In the first half we had three chances at goal. The second half was more difficult because it wasn’t easy to create chances. The team that battled the most won this evening. We produced more than ITALY”.

Lilian THURAM (15):

“FRANCE deserves this win. We played against ITALY, a good team that’s always dangerous. This isn’t a shock result because FRANCE has got some very good players and we’re playing at home. FRANCE need not be in awe of ITALY. We didn’t have much luck and we missed out on a couple of goals. The secret of any team is to be really solid at the back because victory ultimately comes from a good defence. The fact that some of our players play in ITALY has undoubtedly improved FRANCE’s tactical game. But we’re here to play positively. We were really united during the penalty shoot-out, and this feeling of solidarity certainly helped us. Each player has to give everything he can. When I come forward to attack, it’s with the intention of doing as much as possible for the team”.