DECRYPTION – Here is everything you need to know before the EuroBasket final this Sunday at 8:30 p.m. in Berlin, which will be contested between France and Spain.
Where and when to see Spain-France?
Following the semifinal match between Germany and Poland, which will air at 5:15 p.m. on Canal+, the Blues will play Spain at 8:30 p.m. in an attempt to win the title of European champion. This match will be the final match of the France national team and will be commented on by George Eddy. The match will also be broadcast clearly on M6. There will be a meeting following the live comments on our website.
What course for the two teams?
Following an initial game in which they were taken by surprise by Germany (63-76), the Blues went on to dominate games against Lithuania (77-73), Hungary (78-74), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (81-68) before suffering a defeat at the hands of Slovenia (82-88) and a Luke Doncic who was on fire (47 pts). In this group stage competition, the French on alternating current ended in the third position after recording a record of three triumphs and two losses. Which French team, who received a blessing from the basketball gods, then defeated Italy (87-86 ap) and Turkey (93-85 ap). Miraculous! On the other hand, the qualification versus Poland (95-54) in the semi-finals owed nothing to chance… Show of force.
The Spaniards had gained four victories in their group (Bulgaria, Montenegro, Georgia, Turkey) to expelling Lithuania (102-94), Finland (100-90), and Germany (96-91), not without difficulty, it must be mentioned. If not a hitch against Belgium (73-83), in their third encounter in the European Championship.
Read also: “The rivalry with Spain is more about the old ones,” Fournier swore before the final game of the EuroBasket tournament.
What history between the two nations?
An interesting tale of France and Spain, and Spain and France… It will be the 79th meeting between the two teams that are considered to be the greatest rivals in European basketball. La Roja currently holds a record of 52 wins to 26, which is a significant advantage. Since 2011, it has continued to be the worst: 13 Spanish victories and two victories for the French. But what achievements… The Blues had already eliminated Marc Gasol and company in the semi-finals of Euro 2013, and then they defeated Spain in its whole in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Madrid, despite not having Tony Parker or Nando De Colo on their roster. In addition to the statistics, the rivalry between France and Spain has intensified, even if Lorenzo Brown still has some ground to make up. “The naturalized leader made this admission on Friday, after the qualification match against Germany. “I don’t know much about this rivalry but I’ll do some reading on the internet when I get back to the hotel,” he said. Rudy Fernandez, who is 37 years old and has a lot of expertise, will enlighten him on all of this… In any case, the Tricolores will make sure to show him everything he needs to know this coming Sunday, beginning with the initial encounters. Despite this, Evan Fournier thinks that “The competition with Spain is primarily amongst the older generations. On Friday evening, Boris Diaw gave the impression that he had returned to the game as a player. “He wanted to put on his shorts, his shoes, and some sprigs,” he laughs. “He wanted to put on some sprigs.” In addition, we are aware of the history, but I do not harbor any animosity or hostility toward them in my heart.
What record at the Euro?
Spain will be competing in its tenth final at the Euro, and it has made it to the semifinals for the eleventh consecutive year at the tournament. Spain’s goal is to win its fourth European championship, following victories in 2009, 2011, and 2015. It is only the third time that France has advanced to this stage of the competition. Therefore, the defeat came at the hands of Spain in 2011, and the crowning came at the hands of Lithuania in 2013.
Are the players to follow in this final?
Exit, In the end, the Gasol brothers were defeated by Sergio Rodriguez, Sergio Llull, and Ricky Rubio. At the beginning of the EuroBasket 2022 tournament, Spain presented a refreshed, revitalized, and a completely new version of itself. A Spain that knows they can always count on a certain Rudy Fernandez (37), who has in the past frequently performed naughty tours in France. Particularly apprehensive of the Hernangomez brothers, Willy and Juancho, it will keep its distance from them. The first player in this sentence is a Pelicans player in the NBA, and he is 28 years old. He averages 17.6 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game, making him the top scorer and rebounder on the Spanish team. His brother, who is two years his junior, currently competes in the NBA for Denver while he does so. Since the beginning of the tournament, he has had an average of 11.4 points, which ranks third, and 5 rebounds, which also ranks third. This summer, 32-year-old naturalized American point guard Lorenzo Brown gets exposed to FIBA basketball for the first time. First try in the shape of a masterstroke: 15.4 points on average (good for a second) and 7.1 assists, which puts you in the first place. Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier, both of whom play in the NBA, are without a doubt the players, or haulers, to keep an eye on for the Blues. Gershon Yabusele is on a tear, averaging 15 points per game. We are under the impression that Thomas Heurtel, a native of Madrid who formerly played for Barcelona, will also be eager to present himself.
You may also be interested in reading this from EuroBasket: “The Spanish basketball school is backed by something other than a few star players,” says Collet.
Who is your favorite?
A majority of commentators, before the beginning of the competition, pegged Slovenia, Greece, or Serbia as three of the teams most likely to emerge victorious. As well as France. Not too much at all with this new Spain, which comes after the golden generation, even if Sergio Scariolo is still the head coach. A Spain that was not at all what we had anticipated finding there. On the other side, France, won the bronze medal at the 2019 World Cup and the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year. Even though Nicolas Batum and Nando de Colo won’t be playing for France this summer, they have emerged as a France that has moved on from the Parker generation and the disappointment of the 2017 European Championship. It’s strong, with players like Fournier and Gobert, as well as a high number of medalists from Tokyo. All of this is under the supervision of Vincent Collet, who has been in office since 2009 and who will be receiving his seventh medal this coming Sunday. The French side possesses a greater quantity of certainties, experience, and talent. Before he was aware of the poster, a Polish winger named Aaron Cel predicted on Friday that France would be the favorite. The native of Orleans deserves to be heard by the basketball gods. In any event, the most prominent French betting sites are ALL, in his view, his creation. That in no way implies that it will be simple, of course. Spain has a good reputation. In France, we are (almost) in a position to know everything.