2024-07-28 20:48:30
In Rio, in 2016, the French volleyball team lost its first, beaten by Italy for its entry into the Olympic competition. In Tokyo, in 2021, he did it again, this time he lost to the United States. In Paris, the Blues took care of their entry into the debate, defeating Serbia in five sets (23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 21-25, 15-6). The victory in front of 12,000 spectators at the Paris Sud Arena, who won to their cause, was beautiful. It is also mandatory: in the new Olympic format there are only three team games to play to reach the quarter-finals.
If the reigning French champions had to work hard to overcome their native rivals of the day, they also saw their boss playing, Earvin Ngapeth. The Blues star, peroxided and sharp, played almost every match. The world’s best player in 2021, now 33, has not played a full game in two months due to a calf injury.
“It is difficult to enter the city. Obviously, there is a lot of pressure, a lot of stress, we have some stress, even me, said that the receiver-attacker in the mixed area. I’m still a little nervous because I haven’t played in recent months, but I’m confident it’ll be fine. We had a lot of trouble in attack, but I think in attitude, defense, blocking, performance, it’s good. It’s good. »
After a very laborious first set, during which he was caught four times by the opposition attack, Earvin Ngapeth gradually found his volley. If he finished the game with only ten points scored from 32 attempts, far from his usual standards, he removed doubts about his own form.
“He plays well in offense and defense, but I think he’s going to do better offensively. It’s normal, he hasn’t played for a long time and he needs to get back to town. It is very important for the team”analyzed Laurent Tillie, former coach of the French football team, consultant for France Télévisions.
Confirmation by another genius, Barthélémy Chinenyeze. “He took a few” pebbles [des contres] at first, but we’re glad you’re back. And I can assure you that you are in good shape”, said central, who did not play in the 2024 Nations League because of knee pain. Earvin Ngapeth played only a few minutes in this famous tournament which attracted sixteen of the best countries in the world every summer and which the Blues won on May 30.
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