The French team misses its return, clearly beaten by Italy at home

With eight wins and four draws out of twelve early season games during the Didier Deschamps era, the French team had gotten used to playing the role of model pupils once the new school year came. The thirteenth of the coach and his players, Friday September 6th at the Parc des Princes, was much less studious. Sloppy, even, against an Italy team (1-3) much more attractive than at the Euro, unlike the Tricolores, still bogged down in their offensive problems.

We left the Blues in mid-July, beaten in the semi-finals of the Euro by the future Spanish continental champions (1-2). Disappointed, but aware that this journey was almost a feat, so clumsy had they been in front of goal during the competition. The same gloom invaded the Parisian public on Friday, who did not expect such a cold shower after the enthusiasm generated in recent weeks by the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.

Confirmed in his position as coach as soon as the Euro is over, Didier Deschamps has not changed anything, this return, in his method, his staff and his game plan. This, which he always describes in a few words, consists of showing himself to be more dangerous than his opponent. This was not the case, Friday, against an Italian team that had not won in France since 1954. It could have done it even more widely, without the reflex save of Mike Maignan (59th), saved earlier by his crossbar on a header from Davide Frattesi (6th).

From his bench, the coach had reason to be jealous of the work of Luciano Spalletti, who managed to breathe new life into his team, two months after a Euro that was a complete failure, eliminated in the round of 16. Everything that the Squadra Azzurra achieved, the Blues did not. The three Italian goals, by Federico Dimarco (30^e), Davide Frattesi (51^e) and Giacomo Raspadori (74^e), were all scored on nice offensive moves.

“It was a day without”

With fewer opportunities and more defensive agitation – the French rearguard had been the great French satisfaction of the Euro – France sank. “It was an off day, we came up against a big team that defended well together”stressed Mike Maignan after the meeting. “Today we were not up to par with what Italy offered us”added Didier Deschamps.

The French team had nevertheless reassured itself after only twelve seconds of play, on the fastest goal in the history of the Blues in ninety years. Bradley Barcola (1st) then took advantage of Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s error to score his first goal in selection and confirm his excellent start to the season. Then came back to the mind the theory mentioned by Aurélien Tchouaméni during the Euro, that of “the ketchup bottle”to discuss the Blues’ offensive difficulties: as soon as the first goal is scored, the others will follow naturally.

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