The sun is shining in Ashby-de-la-Zouch (between Birmingham and Nottingham), where Champneys Springs base camp is located. This is where Les Bleues will spend their start to the competition. Arrived this Tuesday morning, the French team carried out a first full collective training session, recording the physical glitch returns from Sakina Karchaoui, Wendie Renard and Grace Geyoro.
In the middle of the campaign, the reception facilities, scrupulously selected by Corinne Deacon, are of excellent quality to get the team going, confided Kenza Dali: “These are perfect facilities to put us in the best conditions. We have a great field, a large weight room, a recovery room, everything is there, nothing to complain about. It’s English quality, the pitches are always good. “, Underlines the Everton player.
Les Bleues will play their three group matches at New York Stadium in Rotherham, an hour’s drive north of their base camp. The competition begins on Sunday for the France team, with a first meeting against Italy, which Corinne Deacon claims to have already “observed well”.
If, after the victory against Vietnam, the French coach remained measured about her impatience to start the competition, among the players, it seems to be born of ants in the legs: “I can’t wait to start, it’s the excitement. That’s it, here we are! I can’t wait to get started, but I like the time we also have before D-Day,” said Kenza Dali.
“We have to take advantage of the days we have left to refine the details,” continued the player. These are important moments before a game. We are not in the rush. The competition for some starts on Wednesday, we will take the time to settle down, to take our marks and our habits. By Sunday, we’ll be ready. »
This Wednesday, England and Austria will play the opening match of the Euros (9 p.m., TMC).