France can play better but criticism is unfair, says coach Stephan

PADERBORN, Germany — France’s critics were told Wednesday to leave the team alone by assistant coach Guy Stephan, who said the team did not expect to win the European Championship.

Stephan, himself a former Senegal coach, said those who thought France would have an easy chance in Germany were wrong.

“We never said we were going to have a walk in the park, that we were going to win every game. I remember my reaction after the draw. I said ‘be careful’,” he said at a press conference.

He admitted, however, that the pre-tournament favourites did not look as fit as they could have been.

“It’s true that on a collective level, we can do better. We have to do better in terms of efficiency. But there are also good things. We had more possession, more chances than our opponents. Either we see the bottle as half full or half empty. I prefer to see it as half full.”

Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann have been the target of unfair criticism, Stephan added.

“We all downplayed Mbappé’s broken nose a bit. It doesn’t explain everything, but the shock was traumatic. The mask he has to play with isn’t easy, it’s difficult for his peripheral vision.

“He also had a bit of a tiring end to the season. But Kylian remains a very high-level player. There are times when these high-level players are a bit less good.

“With Griezmann, we are talking about a player who has 133 caps, who has scored 44 goals, who, until last March, played more than 80 matches in a row with the French team.”

Stephan said Griezmann continues to be an effective team player, with a subtle influence that is not always perceived by pundits.

“We are not going to question his opinion overnight,” he added.

France will have to make changes to its lineup for Friday’s quarter-final against Portugal in Hamburg due to the suspension of midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

“He is an excellent player, very active, who has gained confidence. We have to find a solution but the decision (on a replacement) has not been made,” said Stephan.