Special envoy to Athens
“We apologize for the delay, but the traffic in Athens caused us problems.” Monday evening at the Opap Arena, the press chief of the French team took the floor to apologize for the thirty minutes lateness of Didier Deschamps and Adrien Rabiot, expected to answer questions from the media at 6:30 p.m. The French contingent finally landed at 7 p.m.
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The midfielder of the vice-world champions huffed in annoyance when a remark was made about traffic in the Greek capital. Ditto for the coach, who hastened to apologize to the French media present for the last trip of the Blues in 2023, as well as the locals. “It’s beyond our control,” he clarified, he who hates these last minute setbacks, before devoting himself to pre-match obligations.
Hastily, the French team’s training, scheduled for 7 p.m. local time (1 hour less in France), was finally postponed until after 7:30 p.m. Guy Stéphan, the assistant of “DD”, accompanied by Cyril Moine the physical trainer, but also Franck Raviot who takes care of the goalkeepers, hastened to set up the exercises while the players changed in the locker rooms of the magnificent Greek stadium. When he landed on the pitch, Didier Deschamps, warned by his right arm, discovered that the nets for the two goals were not in place. Which led to a heated exchange with the official present at the edge of the pitch.
Annoyed, the boss of the Blues made his dissatisfaction known, before everything returned to order and the two men ended their discussion in a more cordial tone and with a friendly handshake. A few seconds later, the players entered the pitch and the session could begin. Under the gaze of an attentive coach, resting on his cooler, due to a back pain which has been bothering him since the start of the rally.
