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9 July 2018 – 17h52
Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is part of pure Belgian talent. Photo: Agences
France and Belgium will be competing this Tuesday in St. Petersburg at 18:00 GMT in the first semifinal of the Russia-2018 World Cup, a match that will pit two visions against each other different from football: the Gauls against the offensive talent of the Red Devils.
For the second time in its history, Belgium is in the semifinal
Belgium in the hands of the Spanish coach Roberto Martínez, for the second time in its history. In the first in 1986, Argentina's Diego Maradona deprived them of the final.
"A semi-final World Cup is a unique moment in a player's career," acknowledged Martinez at a press conference Monday. "He looks like us in many ways, especially because of the great individualities" of both teams.
After two consecutive failures at the 2014 World Cup and at the Eurocup-2016, the Belgian "golden generation" seems to be maturing and "Roberto Martinez gave this generation the culture of triumph," he said. what was missing "to Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku and In the interview with AFP, Jean-François de Sart, l & # 39, coach of the Olympic team who reached the semi-finals in Beijing in 2008, already had several current team members. [1] 9659011] The fact of being Spanish and the great game of the Belgians during this World Cup also set aside the identity disputes between Flemings and Walloons that had led to the failure Belgians at previous championships.
14 goals in 5 matches
Belgium is the team that has scored the most goals in the World Cup (14 in five matches) and up to nine players have celebrated the tournament. He is also the only one to have won all of his matches and has a run of 24 straight wins (19 wins and 5 draws), a record for the national team.
For this match, Martinez will not be able to count on Thomas Meunier, sanctioned, and the right lane could be occupied by Nacer Chadli, while Yannick Carrasco would return to the starting lineup.
Another doubt will be in the middle, because the coach could repeat the formula that gave him such a good result in the quarterfinals against Brazil with Marouane Fellaini supporting Axel Witsel in the containment; or could return to a more offensive formula, with De Bruyne postponing his post to midfield and Dries Mertens entering the offensive trio with Hazard and striker Lukaku.
Against the waste of offensive talent, France will oppose its defensive strength, born of the extraordinary athletic ability of its players, especially in the midfield with N & # 39; Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi, who should return to the team after serving a penalty game in the quarter-final against Uruguay.
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Three games with a blank sheet
The Gauls only conceded four goals in five matches (and three of them in the 4-3 win against Argentina), leaving the goal to zero in three, so it does not seem likely that Didier Deschamps has introduced changes in the defense.
However, the French coach warned Monday of the danger of the Belgians in counterattack: "When they recover the ball are very effective."
It is also unlikely that Deschamps will change his attacking trident, given the value that the coach gives to the work done by Olivier Giroud to shine the two stars, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé.
The two neighboring countries will meet 74th time in their history and the Belgians dominate by 30 wins to 24, but the two times they met in a World Cup (1938 and 1986) the win was for the Gauls.
Of course, none of them Belgium and France played something as important as qualifying for the finals of a World Cup
Possible alignments:
France: Hugo Lloris (Cape) – Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez – No Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi – Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud
DT: Didier Deschamps.
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois – Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen – Nacer Chadli, Axel Witsel, Marouane Fellaini (or Dries Mertens), Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco – Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard. DT: Roberto Martínez (ESP).
Arbitrator: Andrés Cunha (URU)
AFP
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