Published on : 29/08/2022 – 14:32Modified : 29/08/2022 – 14:30
Ljubljana (AFP) – Past number 2 in the hierarchy of smugglers, the captain of the French volleyball team Benjamin Toniutti could take advantage of the last group match of the World Cup, Tuesday against Cameroon in Ljubljana, to find some playing time and rhythm.
He hopes so at least, after watching from the bench the Blues beat Germany (3-0) in the opening before settling for two small entries into play on Sunday against Slovenia (3-2), in the third and fourth. sets, following Antoine Brizard.
“Of course that personally I want to pick up some pace. I am available to the team, I try to do the maximum. Yesterday (Sunday) I tried to give a little energy when we was behind,” he told AFP.
“It’s important to give what you have to give when you’re on the pitch, and to give your all to show that the group is united. Yesterday Kévin’s entry was decisive, it has to be like that until the end of the competition”, he adds, in reference to the performance of Kévin Tillie, decisive as receiver-attacker in the fourth set in particular.
Toniutti, 32, will he have the opportunity to show himself as much on Tuesday against the Cameroonians? “We will also have to give rhythm to those who have less” during this first round, had said before taking off for Slovenia coach Andrea Giani, who has installed Brizard a little more in control since his arrival this summer.
The Italian, who sees “no problem” with his captain playing less, will however also have to deal with the need to leave the minimum possible points to the Cameroonians for the round of 16, since the posters will be determined according to the general classification at the end of the pools (1st against 16th, 2nd against 15th etc).
“It’s Andrea who will make her choices. I try to give the maximum in group life, training, the relationship with Antoine”, underlines Toniutti.
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Toniutti “le +fourbos+”
Brizard, almost five years his junior, took over during the Tokyo Olympics last summer, from which the Blues returned adorned with gold.
“At the moment I’m playing a little more, but I know it could be him. We’ve worked very well together for five years, we’ve always had a lot of respect for each other. As long as we win, we will both be very happy”, commented before the Brizard competition.
Taller by almost 15 cm (1.96 m against 1.83 m), he has a much more physical style of play, capable of making service aces and attacking in the first hand. As in the final of the Games with his little tap offering the match point to France.
“+ Totti + (the nickname of Toniutti Editor’s note) has a little more creative game, we call him the + fourbos + because he is a little cunning in his choices, a little lodger, a little teasing”, deciphers the receiver- attacking Trevor Clévenot.
“+ Totti + is very + tactical + and super important in his role as captain, for the overall work of the team”, abounds the libero Jenia Grebennikov, for whom France has “two high-level passers, perhaps like no other crew”.
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She will probably need it to win the title of world champion on September 11, the only one missing from her list.
© 2022 AFP