Spanish player Rodri spoke about the expected fateful match against France in the European Nations semi-finals, expressing his opinion regarding the performance of French star Kylian Mbappe.
Rodri called for more protection for players after one of his teammates on the Spanish national team was excluded from the rest of the European Nations Championship hosted by Germany.
Pedri's participation in the tournament ended after the midfielder suffered a knee injury last Friday during a strong challenge with Toni Kroos at the beginning of the quarter-final against Germany, which the Spanish team won 2-1.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said that Kroos should have been sent off in the last match of his brilliant career, noting that the German player did not even receive a yellow card.
Rodri commented on Monday, saying: “As footballers, we always want to be protected. This is the referee’s job.”
He added: "I mean he sets the standards, so a yellow card or a red card is his job, it's not our job. We play by the rules or the level he sets. This is the reality."
Rodri, who is considered the best defensive midfielder in the world, expected another difficult confrontation in the semi-finals on Tuesday against France.
Regarding this match, Rodri said: “It will be a very physical battle because they are a very physical team. So we have to go the same way, try to be strong, and use the body, because we know the strength they have.”
Regarding the criticism that Mbappe was subjected to regarding the level of his performance and his modest scoring, Rodri said: “I know to what extent he is capable of making a difference. Whether he is currently performing well or not, he always represents a threat to the opponent. The French national team as a whole is dangerous and has a good defense.” He is very dangerous in the counterattack,” according to the “Gol” sports website.
Rodri concluded his speech by saying: “We will not face France with fear. We will show that we are capable of winning against the team that has reached the largest number of finals in recent years.”
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