Happy France coach wings in to face the press

The Welsh have become the smallest nation ever to reach the last four of the European Championships or World Cup, but that achievement will last just 48 hours if Iceland – whose population is less than 330,000 – produce one of the all-time sporting upsets by eliminating the hosts in Paris.

“They are kind of the Leicester of Euro 2016”, said the Manchester City right-back. “They’re here because they deserve to be and they have quality in their side”.

PARIS (AP) – France coach Didier Deschamps and captain Hugo Lloris made sure they got to an early news conference on time – by taking a helicopter.

Iceland has already played well beyond expectations, which could be a boost for Sunday’s match as they will be unburdened by expectations.

In their opener against Romania, it was an 89th-minute goal from Dimitri Payet that secured victory for Les Bleus and again in their second match Albania looked certain to hold them to a goalless draw, had it not been for Antoine Griezmann and Payet finding the net in the 90th and 96th-minute, respectively.

And defender Bacary Sagna warned his team-mates they will eventually be “punished” if they fail to address their tendency to start matches slowly as they head into the latter stages.

And Deschamps has sung the praises of uncapped centre-back Samuel Umtiti, with the Barcelona-bound 22-year-old set to deputise for Rami.

Iceland’s joint coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said he was under no illusions that France had the better individual players.

Now, Lagerback is seeking to go one better with Iceland with a semifinal place on offer if host France can be beaten at the Stade de France. “Playing against bigger teams and playing against players who are with the best teams in the world is always going to be tough but you’re here to test yourself; tomorrow is going to be a big test but we’re ready for it”.

“I think, after the Euros, a lot of clubs will come in for their players because they’ve shown they can play well, they can cope with the pressure and that they can cause teams problems”.

“But they have a number of other attributes about their play, they don’t just loft the ball forward”. “They have a very good change of pace and are quick.

All 23 players are fit”, Lagerback told reporters ahead of the tiny island nation’s biggest game at the Stade de France.

Meanwhile, France march on to a last-four showdown with Germany and despite some defensive frailties, few would count against them returning to the same venue in a week’s time to contest the final against Portugal or Wales.

France will be overwhelming favourites for Sunday’s match, but Lars Lagerback’s team have also beaten Netherlands away in a Euro 2016 qualifier during the past 12 months.

His co-coach, Halgrimsson, is equally polite about the idea, insisting that: “We play simple if you say that we play to our strengths”.

All we can do now as neutrals is cross our fingers and hope Iceland can take the next step to the summit of the Euro 2016 mountain.

“If we go out there thinking, “we have more talent so we’ll win”, we won’t”.