France boss Deschamps hails dominant Spaniards ahead of Euro 2024 semi-final
France coach Didier Deschamps sang the praises of the Spain squad that has swept all opponents aside during their surge to Tuesday night's semi-final showdown in Munich with his World Cup finalists.
"Spanish teams have always had the ability to have a strong midfield, often a trio," said Deschamps ahead of the clash at the Allianz Arena.
"This allows Spain to have great control," he added. "And yes, there is their offensive potential. But the midfield is also a strength, especially with Rodri, who is an essential player.
"But it’s the whole team that has shown effectiveness on the field since the start of the European championships.
"It's not to put stress or pressure on them. They have been the most dominant and left the best impression on almost everyone."
Deschamps' Spain counterpart, Luis de la Fuente, has been bullish about his players who rolled impressively through Group B.
They opened with a 3-0 victory over Croatia on 15 June. That was followed five days later by a 1-0 win over the defending champions Italy and a largely second string team edged past Albania by the same score on 24 June.
In the knockout stages, Spain pulverised Georgia 4-1 and in the quarter-finals they silenced the partisans with a 2-1 extra-time success over hosts Germany.
"My players are insatiable," enthused de la Fuente. "There’s always room for improvement, of course, but we can't question their pride, quality and commitment."
Recast
But while Spain have racked up 11 goals, France have been vapid.
An own-goal gave them a victory over Austria on 17 June during which Mbappé broke his nose.
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