France vs Spain. FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group I.
Stade de FranceAttendance80,000.
Monday 25 March 2013 12:56, UK
France coach Didier Deschamps is not letting Spain's surprise slip-up against Finland lull him into a false sense of security ahead of the crunch World Cup qualifier between the two, warning his players they are still facing the best team in the world.
The pressure is now on Vicente del Bosque's side - who could be boosted by the return of key midfield duo Xavi and Xabi Alonso in Paris following injury - but defender Gerard Pique has laughed off any suggestions Spain's bubble might be beginning to burst after five years of almost total domination. The Barcelona defender said: "I've been through this with Barca and now the national team. And neither surprises me. "In this country we're not used to it, and when we have a little setback we talk of an end of a cycle, but this is a young team and they are going to be around for many years." Regarding Tuesday night's match, Pique told radio station Cadena COPE: "We knew we had to go to France to win. We didn't expect the result against Finland, but sometimes, even if you are the better team, you don't win. "Now we simply have to win against France, because that's the only thing that is worth anything to us."
