Europan Paper Review

French reaction to the start of Euro 16, transfer news in Germany, Schweinsteiger, Italy and Spain.

“Just one story and early to bed, boys, we’ve got a match tomorrow,” Didier Deschamps was depicted as saying in a cartoon in Thursday’s L’Équipe. “Once upon a time, in a country on strike…”

There was a slow build-up to the tournament in France – a country with other issues than football on its collective mind. “With large parts of France under floodwater and the country boiling over politically, will Euro 2016 really be a festival of football?” asked L’Humanité.

Yet French confidence slowly became apparent. “FAVOURITES!” headlined L’Équipe on Thursday. “REWRITE HISTORY!” they demanded on Friday, whilst FranceFootball predicted “The Great Battle” and said it was the “moment of truth for Paul Pogba” of whom great things are expected.

By Saturday morning, it was of course West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet who was dominating the front pages after his sublime 89^th minute winner against Romania in the Stade de France. “Off to a great start!” said Le Parisien, “Payet saves the day!” added L’Équipe, whilst FranceFootball called the former Marseille man “the Blues’ liberator! Payet is the boss! A true metronome, he conducted France’s play with his technique and vision.”

But there was criticism for Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann who “must do better” according to L’Équipe. FranceFootball praised Deschamps for his decision to substitute the pair.

Sadly, Sunday morning’s front pages were dominated by events off the field following violent clashes between English fans and Russian hooligans in the Vieux-Port area of Marseille. “State of emergency,” said local paper La Provence over a photo of a policeman attempting to resuscitate an English fan who suffered cardiac arrest. “LA HONTE” said L’Équipe – ‘the shame’. “France in the face of hooligans” said Aujourd’hui. On French television, BeIn Sports presenter Alexandre Ruiz called the violence “human stupidity.”

In French transfer news, La Provence report that Marseille have been in discussions with Tottenham and West Ham over the sale of Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi, for whom they are demanding €40m. Both L’Équipe and Le Parisien reported on Thursday that PSG are close to securing the services of Sevilla’s Unai Emery.

Ahead of Germany’s opener against Ukraine on Sunday, Die Welt predicted “[Joachim] Löw’s toughest task yet” as he aims to lead his team to a World Cup and European Championship double. “We’re world champions – what now?” asked Spiegel, voicing the concerns that this Germany side perhaps lacks the common identity and determination of their 2014 predecessors. “Löw wants to establish an era,” stated Die Zeit, “but this team isn’t as good as 2014.” There were no such worries for the tabloids though: “Allez les Löws!” encouraged Cologne’s Express. “Black, red and GREAT!” shouted BILD.

In the end, “the world champions wobbled but did not fall” (Die Welt) as goals from defender Shkodran Mustafi and Manchester United veteran Bastian Schweinsteiger helped Germany to a 2-0 win over “a tough Ukrainian side” (Tagesspiegel). Stern called Schweinsteiger “the ecstatic super-sub!” whilst Der Western praised Jerôme Boateng for his first half goal line clearance, but the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung called the performance “world champions lite.”

The transfer rumour mill is in motion in Germany too, with BILD claiming that Manchester City are set to offer €50-60m for the highly-rated Schalke youngster Leroy Sané whilst also lining up a move for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. “Is Pep going to empty the entire Ruhr region?” they asked.

Finally, the guest article in Berlin’s Tagesspiegel on Saturday came from Noel Gallagher of all people, who said “UEFA have ripped the soul out of the Euros, just like they do with everything else,” referring to the expansion of the tournament.

In Italy, the country came together ahead of their first Euro 2016 game against fancied Belgium in Lyon.

“We are Italy,” reads the cover of Monday’s La Gazzetta Dello Sport, complete with a mediocre photoshopped image of some smiling Italian fans with their face painted.

“Tonight Azzurri debut with our iron defence, team unity and strike partners,” it reads. They also quote coach Conte saying: “We have fire in our eyes and now let’s see who is right.” There’s a warning from Belgium’s Eden Hazard: “You’ll see what I can do.”

“We need to be aggressive and tactical to win,” Corriere dello Sport quotes Conte, “they are full of talent.”

Monday’s best front page comes via Tuttosport which bore a giant heart in Italian colours set against a pale blue background.

“Put your heart into it,” the headline urged.

With all this verbal sparring and sabre rattling, it’s probably for the best that Italy will actually be playing some football.

The same goes for Spain, who’s preparation was rocked by allegations of David de Gea being involved in sex scandal with a prostitute, allegations he firmly denied in a hastily called press conference on Friday.

Spain open against Czech Republic in Toulouse today and De Gea is on the front cover of AS. “Whatever Del Bosque decides will be the right thing,” it opined ahead of him being selected to play, while the paper’s opinion writer Alfredo Relano thinks Del Bosque is sure of his team.

“What’s certain are the full-backs: Juanfran and Jordi Alba, who defend well and attack better; a triangle of certainty in Ramos-Busquets-Piqué, which any team would envy; the well-tuned violins of Silva and Iniesta, the up-and-down Cesc, with his coming and going and attempts to score; the spark of Nolito and the youthful maturity of Morata. That’s the side that are looking for that resilience we lost on a terrible afternoon against Holland. Del Bosque has been looking for it for two years. And I believe he’s finally found it.”

We’ll see if Spain have sufficient quality to win an unprecedented third consecutive title.