Euro 2024: France face tough route to final as knockout phase begins

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00:00From basketball to football and Euro 2024 and now that the group stage is over we do have the teams

00:05for the last 16 in place. We're going to talk more about this with Leo McGuinn who joins me

00:10live from Paderborn in Germany. Leo we know the lineup now for the last 16. France against Belgium

00:17certainly looks like the real big fixture. Yeah France Belgium is the big fixture as you say it

00:26will actually be second in the world versus third and by finishing second in their group

00:31France really now have the toughest route possible if they want to lift the trophy.

00:36We're actually at the Paderborn stadium here where France will be training a little bit later on.

00:40I'm sure you might be able to hear the lawn mowers behind me as they try to get that pitch

00:44in perfect condition for Les Bleus a little bit later on. We heard from centre-backs William

00:50Saliba and Dario Upamecano at the press conference earlier. They were both asked about the dangers of

00:55facing their neighbours Belgium. Saliba said as expected France aren't afraid of anyone. He truly

01:01believes that they can beat anyone in front of them and go on to lift that trophy. He also talked

01:06about facing against his teammate, his club teammate Leandro Trossard at Arsenal. He said

01:11they haven't discussed the match in particular so far but he knows the dangers of defending against

01:16the winger. For Upamecano he brought up France's recent good record against Belgium. They beat the

01:22Red Devils 3-2 in their last fixture in 2021 and of course the 2018 World Cup semi-final which France

01:28won on their way to lifting the trophy. Both players were asked about their memories of

01:33watching that. They said they had rather fond memories of watching it as supporters but now

01:38they can't wait to get out on the pitch and be part of such a big match themselves.

01:42Yeah it's really incredible. What about the rest of the fixtures? Talk us through them.

01:46It's got to be said France are certainly on the harder side of the draw. If they were to beat

01:51Belgium they'd then face off against the winners of Portugal and Slovenia. Just a quick word on

01:57Slovenia, the tiny nation, it's a huge moment for them. In fact it's the first time they will ever

02:02be playing knockout football. Host Germany take on Denmark and debutants Georgia will face off

02:09against the mighty Spain. A huge moment for Georgia as well. They shot the ball in the

02:13world and beat Portugal last night. Maybe a second string Portugal but still the biggest result

02:18in their history. So to recap if France beat Belgium they will then probably face Portugal

02:23and then the winners of Germany and Spain. So it's really become the toughest route possible

02:28for them if they want to even reach the final. The other side of the draw is a lot more open.

02:34It has to be said Italy take on Switzerland in the opening match of the round of the 16.

02:40Austria who came surprisingly top of France's group will face off against Turkey and Romania

02:45have been rewarded by coming first in their group with a really tricky tie against the Netherlands

02:50who came third in France's group and England will play against Slovakia. England have actually been

02:55made favourites for the tournament despite a lacklustre group stage. So calm before the storm

03:00here in Germany. Two days without games but it all kicks off in earnest again on Saturday when

03:07Switzerland take on Italy as the tournament really gets into the business stage.

03:11All right Leo thanks for that. I know a lot of Brits in the newsroom will be happy about what

03:14you just said. The French not so much. Leo McQuinn they're reporting for us from Germany.

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