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dailyfrancent · 7 years

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Antoine Griezmann responds to your questions

Leader of the French National Team forwards, Antoine Griezmann responded to your questions Monday afternoon, live from Clairefontaine.

According to you, do individual distinctions, like the Ballon d’Or, have a particular importance to you? Or do only titles hold importance?

They’re important, even if their worth is often questioned. Its difficult to win something so long as Messi and CR7 are around. But I prefer a collective trophy because all you spend hard or wonderful moments with your teammates. I prefer to win the World Cup or the Euro and never a Ballon d’Or, for example.

What’s your preferred position? Center-forward? 9 and a half in support? On the sides? 10?

I like to be free on the pitch, do what I want offensively. I like to go on the wings but I’m the most dangerous when I’m close to the front.

Would you rather win the World Cup or the Champions League?

World Cup! Its with your country, for me it would be the most beautiful dream. All of France behind you. You really are the best team in the world.

What do you think of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League draw, Leicester City?

If we want to reach the final like last year, we have to beat everyone. No matter the draw. We didn’t even watch the draw, we had training. In front, it goes very quickly with Vardy, Mahrez is a great player. In the back, its strong. It will be hard to pass them. I watched the match against Sevilla. On the set pieces, they can do damage.

Who do you see as favorites in the Champions League and in Europa?

No one’s above the rest. But I like Juventus, they’re hard to play like us! Bayern, Barça, or Real would be in the semi-finals. But they’re playing each other, so there will be some big matches. Juve will be in the semis, I think. They concede rarely, behind its very solid. They are complete. I don’t know if Lyon can win Europa because you need a little luck too. They can get to the final but winning it will be complicated. Lacazette will have a big role in the success or lack thereof of OL in Europa.

What’s it like being the star of Les Bleus?

It doesn’t change anything because I’m an important player in the group. Like at Atletico. I give everything for my team, offensively or defensively. I was well raised, I don’t have a big head. I want to win every match, and to do that, I have to work defensively too.

What do you think of your new partner on the French team Kylian Mbappé? Do you think you’ll make a good pair together?

I haven’t really watched Monaco’s matches in Ligue 1. But what he did against City, at 18, is strong. I’m excited to see him in training here with us and to judge him for myself. I’m glad we have a great generation. That will help us for the future. I hope the kids will fit in well. And stay in the selection, because that’s the hardest.

Can you describe your relationship with Kevin Gameiro, either on or off the pitch?

In the locker room at Atletico, we’re next to each other. We talk a lot, we go out to eat together. He comes by the house, like recently for my wife’s birthday. I play well with his kids, I tease them. On the pitch, I know he loves depth. I learned his calls, I don’t have to look at him, I know right away where he’s going. I try to put myself in a good position, in front of the goalkeeper. Him, he knows I like him to pass it back to me in one-two, or when I send it towards the corner post so he can cross it to me. We tease each other about who makes the most assists. We’re just as happy when one or the other scores. The collective above all!

Given your attachment to Atletico, could you one day wear Real’s or Barça’s jersey?

Why not? It’s a dream to play for the greatest clubs and those two clubs are part of that, like Bayern and the English, of which I’ve dreamed since I was little. But I don’t see myself at Barça or Real. Or anywhere else... I’m good in Spain, there’s sunshine. That helps. I need that to be happy in my private life. And thus on the pitch. Because the two are connected.

Antoine I love you, you’re my idol. I follow you on all your social networks. How do you stay so down to earth without getting a big head?

That’s the easiest. I’m like that every day of my life. I try to show that on the social networks.

What were you like in school? Studious or restless?

I was in the back of the classroom, close to the window. I didn’t like it. Only sports, no other subjects. I didn’t want to do homework, or go to class. I goofed off a little too.

We always see footballers with headphones over their ears. But what music do you listen to? Who’s your favorite artist right now? Thank you.

Drake, obviously. I went to his concert in Paris. He’s great. I loved it. He just released a great album. I’m really into him. A reggaeton artist too, J Balvin!

Do you think you’ll come to Nord Pas de Calais to see your fans or not?

Good question! Why not if we’re playing there with Les Bleus. Its cool to tour the regions with the French team because not everyone can come to Paris. Doing a small tour would be cool. France - Spain would have been cool somewhere else other than Stade de France.

Which footballer would you most like to play with?

Good question! Edison Cavani, but this must not be taken as I want to play at PSG. I love his style of play, wanting to give everything offensively and defensively. His calls for the ball... In one touch in the front, always. All his goals are in one touch. Its really strong. Since he’s arrived in Paris, he’s been criticized but I’ve always defended him.

How did you decide to let your hair grow out?

I’ve had short hair for a long time. I’m letting my hair grow out but its not for a sponsor or an ad. Now, I’m being asked to cut my hair for an ad. But I’ll see about that later, I like it like this.

Interested in coming to PSG next year?

No. I don’t want to leave Atletico to go to Paris, China, the US, Russia, or anywhere else.

What do you think of PSG’s match and the remontada? Miracle? Pro Barça referee?

I saw it. I said to myself that I love football for games like this. No one had done it before, according to the stats. What they’ve done is exceptional. Paris did help Barça too, with one or two goals. But after that, you have to score the rest. Conceding six goals is not the referee’s fault. Its small to say that. I loved the first leg too because PSG were very strong. In football, nothing is ever acquired.

Which players impress you the most right now?

I think Diego Godin is really amazing. I’m lucky to play with him, stand alongside him every day. He’s a leader, a great defender. When he’s as strong as he is now, its incredible. And still, its difficult mentally for him because he carries his selection as well. He always has to give everything. He’s still the best. He’s a wall, that guy.

A couple months a go, you almost participated in Les Enfoirés. Will you participate this year?

I was annoyed by their confirmation because I had a match. They thought I had refused to go but it wasn’t that. This year or next year, I’ll try to go because its for a good cause. I watch it every year and it would be pretty cool to discover that. I can see myself singing with them but not alone. I’d have a good time, I think.

Would you like to see Karim Benzema return to the French team?

Yes, like all the French I think. But its the coach who decides. I trust Didier Deschamps who knows very well how to manage his group. He’s excluded other players also and I fully support him. Its up to us to prove that he’s not mistaken.

I would like to know what you would like to become after your football career?

I think Zidane said he didn’t see himself as a coach... And now he is one. Me, I don’t see myself as a coach for now but we’ll see. I would definitely like to spend time with my family, take my kids to school, be there for their birthdays. I have no idea honestly... We’ll see when I’m 30. For now, I’m making the most of it.

For how long do you think you’ll play?

Not until I’m 40 like Totti. I think closer to 33 or 34. You have to be really strong physically to keep your place. Mentally, you have to be strong too to keep going. Me, I started at 18, so it seems good to me to go until 33 or 34.

Last year, which final was more painful: the Euro or the Champions League?

The Champions League final because it was my first professionally. I didn’t expect it. I saw myself stronger than Real Madrid during the match. And to lose in penalties, that was really hard. The Euro, I was more focused on comforting my friends, telling them we’ll win later. The Champions League was very different. A lot more difficult.

With the French team, are you more comfortable with Gameiro or Giroud?

They have two different profiles. Olivier plays pivot. Kevin, its more depth. Here or in club, I adapt to the forward I play with.

What’s your reaction to knowing everyone wants to play with you on FIFA?

It makes me happy because it means my card is good. I try not to play with myself otherwise I play too personally. I’ve often been in the team of the week. So its good for FIFA players. Me, I play a lot with Patrick Kluivert, in Legend mode. For me, he’s the best.

You’re a little behind in La Liga this year, are you going to put everything on the Champions League?

No, we have to fight to be in the top three. Last season, in February, we were 10 points from the top. And we came back to equalize in the last few matches. It would be a mistake to focus solely on the Champions League.

What was the biggest goof you did as a kid?

In middle school, when I had class, I would pretend I was going to the bathroom. But actually I would go play football with my friends. I was there for an hour. I can’t remember how I was punished.

Do you tie your future to Diego Simeone’s? In plain, will you stay are Atletico Madrid as long as he’s the coach?

No, we aren’t linked to that point. Eventually, he will need to leave. Or me! This summer I called him to know if he was staying. He told me he was preparing for the season, so that made me happy and I thought I should continue. But we’re not inseparable.

In which capacity has Diego Simeone helped you progress the most?

In everything! Tactically, offensively, defensively... Before, I didn’t score as much. He changed a lot of things. I became more killer in front of the goal. Since then, I like defending. Even though its the hardest thing to get a forward to like. Through his chats, his training, he instills it in you. He even instilled it in the fans.

Who are the three best defenders you have affronted since the beginning of your career?

The Ramos-Pepe duo at Real Madrid. They go quickly, they’re strong in the head, at clearing.

What’s your biggest dream and who are you voting for in the presidential election?

I don’t even know who the presidential candidates are... I don’t watch French or Spanish TV. I’m far from all that. My dream? In football, its to win a World Cup and a Champions League. Outside football, to have two healthy kids and a long happy life with my wife.

Hello from Mexico!!! What was your favorite team as a kid?

I saw a lot of OM and OL when I was little. But its OL that I liked more because they had Juninho, Anderson, and Benzema, great players.

You said the player you’d like the most to play with is Alexandre Lacazette. What do you think of his situation with the French team? Do you think his non-selection makes sense?

Its like with Karim. You have to really be with the coach. Certain deserve a call up, but are not called up. That’s how it is. He’s a friends and its too bad not to have him at Clairefontaine. Its up to him to do everything to oblige Didier Deschamps to call him up. He only doesn’t score penalties. You have to know how to score them, hm! I know what I’m talking about. He’s a great forward, I’m happy for him.

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#antoine griezmann #france nt #interviews #LUXFRA #FRAESP 2017

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celticnoise · 7 years

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For me, the away game against Anderlecht in this campaign was always going to be the acid test as far as charting progress went.

Had we really made significant improvements under Brendan Rodgers or was our domestic dominance as much down to the ineptness of our opposition?

Safe to say I got the answer I was looking for and then some.

Celtic were fantastic. There is no other word for it. Yes Anderlecht are struggling and have a temporary manager etc. but that doesn’t belittle the fact that we didn’t just go there and win but actually completely dismantled a side who had won their domestic championship last season and who’d also reached the quarterfinals of the Europea League before taking Joe Mourinho’s excessively expensive to assemble Manchester United side to the wire.

For the first 30 mins, we were not at our best.

Once we crossed the halfway line we looked jittery and uncertain as well as misplacing too many passes.

Summer signing Olivier Ntcham, in particular, looked off the pace and too keen to be involved. Both his tackling and passing were poor to such an extent you wondered if he might make it to halftime without being hooked. But the fact remains we still controlled the ball. Indeed we had it for 70% of the time according to the possession statistics in that period which is almost identical to our domestic stats.

We also never really looked in any remote danger against an Anderlecht side whose attempts to press were being nullified by the ball being continuously passed by them.

As is often the case a goal settled us down.

Ntcham replayed Brendan Rodgers for leaving home on the pitch with a wonderful pass up the left wing which was met by the darting Tierney and the young full-back produced a wonderful ball across the face of the goal that Leigh Griffiths was waiting for at the back post to slam home the opener.

After that, there was really only one team in it.

Roberts pounced when the opposition defence dithered and got a bit of luck to put us two up and in the dying embers, Scott Sinclair produced a beautiful finish with his left peg to put the seal on a pretty fabulous performance for only our second win away from home in the Champions League group stages in 28 attempts.

Over the course of the game, we had 64% possession and 86% passing accuracy.

It was wonderful to behold and let’s be honest when have we ever controlled an away game in Europe against significant opposition like that?

The answer would be not in my lifetime at least.

Earlier in the qualifying stages, we got a taste of what was to come when we controlled the game away against an impressive Rosenborg side who have since eliminated last season’s Europe League runners-up Ajax from that very tournament. That night we won by only a solitary goal though passed up various other good chances.

This was similar but with more cutting edge.

Not only have we put our first points on the board but also showed there is definite progress from last season’s campaign where we could only register three draws from six games. It also puts us well and truly in the driving seat for a minimum 3rd placed finish and a parachute into the Europa League Last 32 which would mean post-Christmas European football for the first time in five years and in a tournament where our expectations would be far greater.

PSG hammered powerhouse Bayern Munich 3-0 at home in the other game putting an end to Carlo Ancelloti’s tenure in charge of the Bavarian giants in the process. The Parisians remain one of the red hot favourites to win the tournament.

Just over a fortnight ago I had the temptation to pen a long article pointing the enormous financial disparity between ourselves and PSG as a reflex defence reaction to the inevitable post-match criticism that was raining down after our opening group match humbling.

In the end, I never bothered.

If anyone can’t see it and not know it’s the reason why that happened then it’s just because they don’t want to.

PSG’s strikeforce cost around 420 million Euros to assemble, making a mockery of any pretences of ‘Financial Fair Play’ in the process.

Some claimed it was comparable to our financial superiority over most other Scottish clubs.

That’s a nonsensical suggestion peddled by many within the Scottish media including the usually sensible Tom English.

Our wealth has come out of shrewd wheeling and dealing in the transfer market, punching above our weight more often than not in Europe and critically via long-standing fanatical home support that sees us trump every other domestic club for season ticket sales every year. It isn’t sourced from a near faceless middle eastern sporting investment institution that is no more than a front for a royal family with bottomless pockets provided by endless oil wealth.

Our 17-year-old, £6 million record transfer fee is anywhere from 6-20 times more than most every other Scottish top-flight clubs record outlay outside of our Govan neighbours. PSG’s is 32 times more than our record fee. Their current strikeforce also cost about 210 times what our present premier striking options cost to assemble. So basically there is no comparison. Claiming there is is no more than willful ignorance.

That aside the further you go up the scale of financial capability the gap in what you can get widens. Buy a £100,000 house you’ll get a decent 2 bedrooms with a small garden. Spend £2 million you’ll get something approaching a mansion. More bedrooms, much more space and a far bigger garden but it’s still a house. Spend £40 million and then you can buy yourself your own private island on which you could fit umpteen mansions.

The difference between a Volkswagon and top of the range Ferrari is vast.

Both still drive on the same roads though.

Go up by the same proportions from the Ferrari to the next level and you’re buying a Learjet. It only needs a bit of runway before it takes off and flies through the air leaving every car, no matter what the manufacturer, way behind in the distance.

Against Anderlecht, Celtic came up against the sort of team against whom we can be both fairly tested and judged.

I think we can safely say we passed with flying colours.

For now, let’s just enjoy it. It doesn’t happen very often and never in that fashion.

Though maybe just maybe from here on out it becomes a more familiar experience.

“Oh, what a night. Late September back in ’17. What a very special time for me. As I remember, what a night.”

Days later, Paul Cassidy is still buzzing from an amazing evening in Anderlecht. We all are.

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#CelticNoise #Celtic #CelticFC #TheCelticBlog #News

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equipedefranceinfo · 7 years

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Antoine Griezmann responds to your questions

Leader of the French National Team forwards, Antoine Griezmann responded to your questions Monday afternoon, live from Clairefontaine.

According to you, do individual distinctions, like the Ballon d’Or, have a particular importance to you? Or do only titles hold importance?

What’s your preferred position? Center-forward? 9 and a half in support? On the sides? 10?

I like to be free on the pitch, do what I want offensively. I like to go on the wings but I’m the most dangerous when I’m close to the front.

Would you rather win the World Cup or the Champions League?

World Cup! Its with your country, for me it would be the most beautiful dream. All of France behind you. You really are the best team in the world.

What do you think of Atletico Madrid’s Champions League draw, Leicester City?

Who do you see as favorites in the Champions League and in Europa?

What’s it like being the star of Les Bleus?

What do you think of your new partner on the French team Kylian Mbappé? Do you think you’ll make a good pair together?

Can you describe your relationship with Kevin Gameiro, either on or off the pitch?

Given your attachment to Atletico, could you one day wear Real’s or Barça’s jersey?

Why not? It’s a dream to play for the greatest clubs and those two clubs are part of that, like Bayern and the English, of which I’ve dreamed since I was little. But I don’t see myself at Barça or Real. Or anywhere else… I’m good in Spain, there’s sunshine. That helps. I need that to be happy in my private life. And thus on the pitch. Because the two are connected.

Antoine I love you, you’re my idol. I follow you on all your social networks. How do you stay so down to earth without getting a big head?

That’s the easiest. I’m like that every day of my life. I try to show that on the social networks.

What were you like in school? Studious or restless?

I was in the back of the classroom, close to the window. I didn’t like it. Only sports, no other subjects. I didn’t want to do homework, or go to class. I goofed off a little too.

We always see footballers with headphones over their ears. But what music do you listen to? Who’s your favorite artist right now? Thank you.

Drake, obviously. I went to his concert in Paris. He’s great. I loved it. He just released a great album. I’m really into him. A reggaeton artist too, J Balvin!

Do you think you’ll come to Nord Pas de Calais to see your fans or not?

Which footballer would you most like to play with?

Good question! Edison Cavani, but this must not be taken as I want to play at PSG. I love his style of play, wanting to give everything offensively and defensively. His calls for the ball… In one touch in the front, always. All his goals are in one touch. Its really strong. Since he’s arrived in Paris, he’s been criticized but I’ve always defended him.

How did you decide to let your hair grow out?

Interested in coming to PSG next year?

No. I don’t want to leave Atletico to go to Paris, China, the US, Russia, or anywhere else.

What do you think of PSG’s match and the remontada? Miracle? Pro Barça referee?

Which players impress you the most right now?

A couple months a go, you almost participated in Les Enfoirés. Will you participate this year?

Would you like to see Karim Benzema return to the French team?

I would like to know what you would like to become after your football career?

I think Zidane said he didn’t see himself as a coach… And now he is one. Me, I don’t see myself as a coach for now but we’ll see. I would definitely like to spend time with my family, take my kids to school, be there for their birthdays. I have no idea honestly… We’ll see when I’m 30. For now, I’m making the most of it.

For how long do you think you’ll play?

Last year, which final was more painful: the Euro or the Champions League?

With the French team, are you more comfortable with Gameiro or Giroud?

They have two different profiles. Olivier plays pivot. Kevin, its more depth. Here or in club, I adapt to the forward I play with.

What’s your reaction to knowing everyone wants to play with you on FIFA?

You’re a little behind in La Liga this year, are you going to put everything on the Champions League?

What was the biggest goof you did as a kid?

In middle school, when I had class, I would pretend I was going to the bathroom. But actually I would go play football with my friends. I was there for an hour. I can’t remember how I was punished.

Do you tie your future to Diego Simeone’s? In plain, will you stay are Atletico Madrid as long as he’s the coach?

In which capacity has Diego Simeone helped you progress the most?

In everything! Tactically, offensively, defensively… Before, I didn’t score as much. He changed a lot of things. I became more killer in front of the goal. Since then, I like defending. Even though its the hardest thing to get a forward to like. Through his chats, his training, he instills it in you. He even instilled it in the fans.

Who are the three best defenders you have affronted since the beginning of your career?

The Ramos-Pepe duo at Real Madrid. They go quickly, they’re strong in the head, at clearing.

What’s your biggest dream and who are you voting for in the presidential election?

I don’t even know who the presidential candidates are… I don’t watch French or Spanish TV. I’m far from all that. My dream? In football, its to win a World Cup and a Champions League. Outside football, to have two healthy kids and a long happy life with my wife.

Hello from Mexico!!! What was your favorite team as a kid?

I saw a lot of OM and OL when I was little. But its OL that I liked more because they had Juninho, Anderson, and Benzema, great players.

You said the player you’d like the most to play with is Alexandre Lacazette. What do you think of his situation with the French team? Do you think his non-selection makes sense?

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