Special Envoy to Faro
The balance sheet of the match of the Blues: “We retain the three points… As I said to the players, we could and should have scored more goals. The goalkeeper in front made great saves, we hit the posts 4 times. We did not do better than Greece and the Netherlands (victorious over Gibraltar by the same score), we had many chances and we can always do better, with more speed, but the ground did not favor too much too. Gibraltar has confirmed that it knows how to defend well, in a grouped way. With better efficiency, the score would have been wider. We were serious and diligent, except for the last quarter of an hour of the first half which irritated me a bit. We almost took a goal that would have gone around the world, it would have been very good for the opposing striker and less for Brice (Samba). The playing conditions do not favor fluidity and speed. I will be satisfied with what we have done and think about Monday (against Greece) because it will be an important match.
His choices in defense and the competition in this sector of play: “There are some who are not there (Hernandez, Kimpembe…) and could be brought to come. I don’t want to change for the sake of changing, but Mike (Maignan) and Dayot (Upamecano) felt a little uncomfortable yesterday and I didn’t want to take any risks. I didn’t want to mortgage the possibility of having them on Monday. So much the better, that’s two more internationals (Samba and Fofana), it’s good on a personal level. On these matches, I would like to bring everyone in but I can’t. For the group, for a week that we have been together, the result is there. At the Stade de France, the context will be different from what we had tonight.
The hierarchy of the Blues on the penalty takers: “There is an order, obviously, but afterwards it is also according to what happens on the ground. If Kylian (Mbappé) had scored the first goal, maybe he would have left it to Olivier (Giroud). Yes, Kylian is number one to pull them.”
The first from rookie Fofana: “It’s a very busy position, where there’s a lot of competition. He could have been with the Espoirs for the Euro, and even if he had a difficult end to the season, he has interesting potential. Tonight he is a French international. Goodbye? It’s up to him, through what he does with his club Chelsea.
Greece Monday before the holidays: “Without offending Gibraltar, which I congratulate, Greece have more offensive arguments. They won against Ireland this Friday evening (2-1). They have more backing, more danger to provide, it’s up to us to force them to defend. But Greece has qualities to put the danger. (Upcoming rotation) I already have the team in mind, but I don’t have all the information. Apart from Eduardo (Camavinga) who took a crutch, there is no problem with the players on the pitch today. Normally, Mike (Maignan) and Dayot (Upamecano) will be there.
The lawn of the Stade de France Monday evening: “(he blows, annoyed) I pray for the lawn with the rugby final which takes place on Saturday evening (between La Rochelle and Toulouse). I am counting on the gardeners, with whom I spoke at the last gathering, they will do their best. But there are 48 hours between the two games and the last time it happened, even if the lawn had been replaced with a week between the two games, it had not held up well.
Statements taken at a press conference