Antoine Griezmann: ‘For me, Spain is not scary at all’

French forward Antoine Griezmann declared that the French team could defeat a Spain team that has been unbeaten in all five matches at Euro 2024.

Antoine Griezmann is ready for the challenge of facing Spain in the semifinals of Euro 2024.

In a statement on the French national team’s Twitter account, Antoine Griezmann, the Atletico de Madrid star, expressed his respect for the opponent:

“They are a great team with a new coach. Spain has Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, who always make a difference whenever they have the ball. We will have to face them.”

However, he also asserted: “Spain has a great team. But no team is scary. We are confident in ourselves and will give our all to reach the final.”

This statement from Griezmann demonstrates the high level of determination in the French team, despite having a tough journey to the semifinals. Les Bleus only scored two goals in the group stage and struggled to get past Belgium in the round of 16, thanks to an own goal. In the quarterfinals, they had to rely on a penalty shootout to defeat Portugal.

Conversely, Spain has shown impressive form with five consecutive unbeaten matches at Euro 2024. The Matadors have scored many goals and showcased beautiful attacking football, making them top contenders for the championship.

However, Griezmann and his teammates seem unfazed by their opponent’s record. He emphasized: “One more match to the final. It’s extraordinary to always be in the top four. We must enjoy this French team because we can win.”

Notably, this will be the first time since Euro 2012 that France and Spain meet in a major tournament. In their last encounter, La Roja eliminated France in the quarterfinals and went on to defend their European title. This adds even more drama to the upcoming match.

However, information from L’Equipe indicates that Griezmann might be dropped from the starting lineup for this match. Coach Didier Deschamps is considering tactics to counter Spain’s technical play, and benching Griezmann, who hasn’t shown his best form in previous matches, could be a bold move.

Despite this, with his experience and class, Griezmann is still expected to play a crucial role, whether from the bench or in the starting lineup. His presence on the pitch will undoubtedly be a great source of inspiration for his teammates.

The semifinal match between France and Spain will take place at 8 PM on July 9 in Munich. This promises to be a top-notch clash, where two different football philosophies will face off: Spain’s technical, possession-based play and France’s effective, pragmatic style.