FRANCE v NIGERIA: Deschamps wary of Nigeria, heat in Brasilia

France coach Didier Deschamps is confident of his team's chances in the Round-of-16 match against Nigeria, but he is wary of the opposition and the effects of the early-afternoon heat.

30 June 2014, 11:31am
by Staff Reporter

2 min read

French coach Didier Deschamps at a press conference in Brasilia. He says he's wary of his country's World Cup opponents on Monday, Nigeria. Photo by Marius Becker/dpa

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"At that time of day (1 pm), the heat is there. Nigerians are certainly more used to it than us. That can have consequences regarding the rhythm of the game," Deschamps said Sunday in Brasilia.

"Today, I cannot know how bodies are going to react. I just saw that the Brazilians and the Chileans ended up very tired," he said, referring to Saturday's first knock-out match in Belo Horizonte.

Deschamps praised Nigeria as a team that is "well positioned in defence" and has fast players like Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike and Peter Odemwingie.

"It will be up to us to find solutions based on whether they position themselves further back or come out to look for us further up," he said.

The 1998 world champion said that he and his men had prepared the game just "as seriously" their previous matches.

"The only difference is that at the end you either stay or you leave," he said.

In this context, he said the French have practiced penalty kicks, but noted that it hardly counts.

"In training, for fun, I see many players who take them very well. But at a stadium, after 120 minutes of play, before lots of people, it is not necessarily the same players who are good at taking them," Deschamps warned.

Captain Hugo Lloris agreed.

"Before we think about penalty shots, there are 90 minutes or more. It will be better if we can make a difference before that," the keeper said. "The most important thing is the mindset, that is what will make the difference."

France will likely be without defender Mamadou Sakho, who is recovering from a muscle injury.

"He ran a bit Saturday. I will see tonight whether or not he is available," Deschamps said.

Several of his players have expressed their will to win the World Cup, and Bakary Sagna even said that not doing so would be "a failure." However, the coach, who himself played in the most successful France side in history, would hear none of that.

"It is very good that we should be ambitious, we need to be," Deschamps said. "But the reality for us is that we are in the last 16 and are playing Nigeria. Projecting ourselves further is useless."

Still, France are clearly full of confidence after a good group round performance.

"We want to go further," Lloris said.