Griezmann: Messi match a different proposition
France have defeated Poland, England and Morocco in the knockout stages on the way to the final
Antoine Griezmann says playing against Messi is a totally different challenge
Argentina are preparing for their sixth World Cup final
One thing's for sure in the World Cup™ - nothing ever gets any easier.
Before the tournement began, France would have snapped your hand off if you'd offered them a semi-final against Morocco, but with the Atlas Lions proving one of the most formidable teams in Qatar, it was a hard-fought victory for the French.
And the mission, now down to its final task, has only got harder. To make history with back-to-back World Cup victories, Antoine Griezmann and his team mates must overcome a Messi-inspired Argentina, which the forward-turned-midfielder admits is a "totally different proposition" to what they have come up against so far.
Messi and Argentina are standing in the way of France becoming the first nation to win consecutive World Cups since Brazil in 1962, and it is one serious road block. Only Germany have been in more World Cup finals than Argentina, and Messi has broken record after record in Qatar, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's top World Cup goalscorer while he is set to become the tournament's highest all-time appearance holder - presuming he plays.
And with the final against France likely representing the last opportunity for Messi to finally get his hands on the World Cup trophy, Griezmann acknowledged it will be a tough task to slow down La Albiceleste.
"Any team with Messi in is a totally different proposition," Griezmann told reporters at a press conference. "All of the matches we have seen Argentina play, we know how they play - they are difficult.
"They seem to be on top form, there isn’t only Messi - they have a strong side around him. We know it is going to be a tough game and they are going to have the support of the crowd.
"We will [train hard and] see how we can hurt them, we will be well prepared."
France and Argentina played out a seven-goal thriller at the 2018 World Cup, with Les Bleus' 4-3 triumph sending them on to eventual glory.
Messi failed to get on the scoresheet in that encounter, but coach Didier Deschamps is fully aware of the threat the Paris Saint-Germain forward will pose at Lusail Stadium.
"Lionel Messi has been in scintillating form since the beginning of the tournament," Deschamps said. "Four years ago, things were different of course.
"He actually played as a centre-forward against us then, which caught us by surprise. Now he is playing in a tandem just behind the centre-forward. He is picking up the ball, running with it and looking in great form. He is one of the best players in the world and he has shown that.
"We are going to try and counter Messi’s threat and try to stop him influencing the game. Of course, Argentina are going to do the same to my players and they are a different side to the one we faced four years ago."
No comments:
Post a Comment