Can fatigue play for the Blues?

SPORT – At the end of Croatia-England in the semi-finals of the World Cup, the statistics were quick to fall. The Croats, who face France on Sunday, July 15 in the final of the 2018 World Cup, played exactly 95 minutes and 24 seconds longer than the Blues during the competition, the equivalent of an extra match.

Logically, Croatian players also ran more than the French, with a total distance of 662.4 km in Russia, against a total of 533.5 km for the Blues, scheduled to reach their peak form for matches

In addition to that, having played Tuesday against Belgium, the Blues enjoy 24 hours of recovery more than their Croatian opponent. Two important data as they will play the most important meeting of their career in Moscow this weekend. Three days to recover? "It allows to evacuate the toxins, to redo the energetic stock but it's not really enough," says Parisien Fabrice Bryand, former doctor of the Blues.

On social networks, just after Croatia's qualification on Wednesday night, many French netizens understood this, rejoicing at the many extra minutes played by the Balkans team.

But rejoicing in the supposed freshness of the French players facing the heavy legs of their Croatian counterparts would undoubtedly be a great mistake, that should not commit Didier Deschamps.

Let's go back two years to the Euro. After eliminating Ireland, Iceland and Germany in the playoff phase, each time in regulation time, the France team faces Portugal in the final, which has already played two extra times, in the round of 16 against Croatia and in the quarter against Poland.

That will not prevent Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates from winning … in overtime, thanks to the famous goal of Eder in the 109th minute, when we would have could think that the Blues would be much cooler to play 30 minutes more.

        
            
            
            

            
        

                
                    

                                    
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A new rule that is timely

Another striking example, a little earlier back, at the 1998 World Cup. That year, the Blues won for the first time the trophy by outperforming the Brazil 3-0 in the final in a one-sided match

How far have they been? An almost full extension played against Paraguay in the round of 16 (Laurent Blanc's golden goal in the 113th minute), followed by another prolongation and an agonizing shootout against Italy in the quarter. [19659002ForitspartBrazilhadreachedthefinalinonlyoneextensioninthesemifinalsagainsttheNetherlands

For the first World Cup final in their history, there is no doubt that Croatians will naturally be galvanized. They who have a reputation for never letting go will know how to run with the head.

The defender of the Blues Samuel Umtiti does not make a mistake: "Physically, they must be tired, but when we play a final, fatigue passes afterwards, we do not think too much about a match, we think we can be world champion, even with fatigue, they will be there, they will be present, they will continue to run as on all their matches ".

Asked before the semifinal against England, defender Dejan Lovren quickly dismissed the subject of potential fatigue felt after two extensions: "We are professional enough to know who needs what to recover. I am perfectly ready and fit and I can say the same thing for my teammates, we know what is at stake and in these moments we forget all fatigue because it is an opportunity that will never be represented again. "[19659024] Moreover, this Mondia l is the first one during which a fourth change is allowed in case of extension. A novelty that allows the coach to blow the holders. Croatia has also logically used this fourth change in its three extra time played in Russia.

Against England, even physically blunted by extra time in the round of 16 against Denmark and then quarter against the host country, with extra penalty shoot-outs in both cases, the "Vatreni" never gave up, managing at the best time strong and weak times.

Led by their formidable captain Luka Modric and qualified thanks to goals from Ivan Perisic (68th) and Mario Mandzukic (109th), they promise to sell their skin dearly in this final.

Especially since they will have in a corner of their head the semifinal lost by their elders during the World-1998 (1-2) against … the France team. An additional motivation, if they had not enough, who should keep them well awake on the lawn of the Luzhniki stadium.

To see also on The HuffPost :

See also:

• The magnificent free-kick in the fifth minute against Croatia

• Do you recognize this player of the Blues at the World Cup on this picture of childhood?

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