An overjoyed William Saliba has praised the way in which France managed to restrict Cristiano Ronaldo during the side’s Euro 2024 quarter-final victory over Portugal.
With neither team able to make the breakthrough, Friday’s heavyweight clash had to be decided on penalties and France advanced via a nerve-jangling shootout to set up a semi-final against Spain.
Joao Felix struck the outside of the post with his effort from 12 yards before Theo Hernandez stepped up to convert the winning spot-kick, leaving Portugal’s players despondent and heartbroken.
Much of the discussion heading into the contest centred around Ronaldo’s difficult campaign in Germany, with the 39-year-old forward falling some way short of his spectacular best in what was his sixth and final European Championships.
There had even been calls for Roberto Martinez to drop Ronaldo from his starting XI in Hamburg but the Portugal head coach persisted with the veteran attacker, who was largely ineffective in Hamburg.
Arsenal defender Saliba has forced himself into Didier Deschamps’ starting XI in Germany and the 23-year-old produced another imperious performance to ensure France emerged with their fourth clean sheet of the tournament.
‘It was not an easy game because we faced one of the best teams in the tournament in Portugal,’ Saliba said in the mixed zone in the wake of France’s win.
‘We knew we shouldn’t give him space. We’re happy we didn’t concede today because Portugal have great players up front.
‘Since the beginning of the competition, we have been solid and to be able to defend as a team.
‘It is not only the defenders who have to do that job.’
France find themselves in the semi-finals despite failing to score a single goal from open play in the tournament.
However, Saliba is confident that France’s all-star attack will begin firing on all cylinders.
‘If we do not concede goals, we have a 90 per cent chance of winning the game,’ the Arsenal centre-back added.
‘Now we just have to score goals and that will happen.’
Facing the media after the game, France head coach Deschamps admitted his side will need to find their scoring boots if they are to get their hands on the trophy on July 14.
‘We need to score more goals,’ he told reporters.
‘When you score more goals, you can manage things. Otherwise we are at the mercy of our opponent.’
Kylian Mbappe – forced to play with a mask due to a broken nose – was taken off in the 105th minute after another below-par display and Deschamps admitted the forward ‘felt very tired’.
‘He was tired,’ the France manager added.
He is always very honest with me and the team, when he feels he doesn’t have the capacity to accelerate.
‘We cannot lose a player but with everything that has happened, the trouble with his back [before the tournament] and the trauma with his nose, he is there.
‘He is not in his top form but, with his efforts, he felt very tired.’
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