Romania v France:THE ROMANIANS will dismiss the results as ancient history but it's still not encouraging to note from their point of view they go into this evening's game against France having lost three and drawn one of the four competitive encounters between the two countries.
The most comparable circumstances were when they met in the opening round at Euro '96 when Romania, having been beaten, went home without picking up a point.
Given the line up in their group a repeat doesn't seem out of the question and their cause is not helped by the fact that their key player, the much reformed Adrian Mutu, might have been a tiny bit distracted by an order last week that he pay Chelsea some €12 million in compensation for the loss they suffered after drug taking prompted his sacking back in 2004.
Mutu scored six goals as the Romanians qualified for this tournament in some style head of the Dutch and their coach, Victor Piturca, insists his side are not just there to make up the numbers in Group C. If they are beaten this evening, though, it will take quite a turn of events for them to make it to the last eight.
Piturca is hopeful that central defender Dorin Goian will be sufficiently recovered from the tendon damage he sustained 10 days ago and, having already had to replace a couple of squad members due to injury, the availability of the 27-year-old would be a bonus for the coach.
France coach Raymond Domenech, meanwhile, is expected to be without the injured Patrick Vieira (thigh) but all eyes will be on the likes of Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema, both of whom come here tipped to make major impressions after big seasons at club level.
Despite doubts about his stamina these days, Claude Makelele insists he will be able to play all three games and behind him Domenech is likely to again place his trust in Lillian Thuram, a veteran of that win over Romania in Newcastle, who is set to make his 141st appearance for Les Bleus.
"This game," says Domenech, "will throw into the tournament or into the lake."
- Emmet Malone
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