Romania v France preview

Jun 8 2008 By Gordon Waddell

Anelka Vows To End 10 Years Of Hurt Romania V France Tomorrow, Zurich, Kick-Off 5.00pm, Live Bbc1

NICOLAS ANELKA has vowed to make up for a decade of finals heartache by firing France to the winner's podium.

Snubbed for every World Cup squad since they hosted in 1998, the Chelsea striker has only played in one major tournament - eight years ago when the French won Euro 2000.

Even then it was a personal disaster for the 29-year-old who failed to score in all five games before being axed for the Final against Italy then frozen out of the team until 2005.

Now he believes this is his chance to shine although he knows he's in a head-to-head battle with pal Karim Benzema, Lyon's 31-goal wonderkid, to partner Thierry Henry up front when they kick off their campaign against Romania tomorrow in Zurich.

The former Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Bolton ace, capped 48 times, said: "This time I want to show what I am able to do in a great competition. I can be better than during Euro 2000.

"The coach will make the final decision who plays, though, and we will see on Monday. I am very serene about it though.

"Myself and Karim, we don't care who will start as we have a good relationship - he's a good player who will become the best."

France have one of the most explosive frontlines in the tournament but their strikers have been firing blanks in the build-up.

But that fact doesn't worry midfield anchor Claude Makelele because he's sure no one will get past them at the other end.

Of the three goals France scored against Ecuador, Paraguay and Colombia one was a penalty by Franck Ribery and fourth-choice striker Bafetimbi Gomis scored the other two.

However, Chelsea's Makelele reckons the goals will come when they face Romania because a team of talent built on rock-solid foundations like theirs will always flourish in the end.

France's defensive dominance saw them lose only five goals in qualifying, two of them against Scotland, a miserly show only matched by the Czechs and the Dutch.

The 35-year-old mainstay shrugged: "The lack of opportunism we showed doesn't worry me. We are capable of scoring at any moment with the attackers we have. Our substitutes can also make the difference as they have shown in the build-up games.

"We have always been patient. We must keep our own qualities, those we deployed in qualifying - a defensive block that allows the team to throw forward in search of goals."

Despite Makelele's confidence, France's preparations have been hampered by injury worries. Patrick Vieira will miss the Romania match with a thigh problem and the Inter Milan ace could announce hiswithdrawal from the event, paving the way for ex-Arsenal star Mathieu Flamini to replace him.

Ribery and Henry picked up minor knocks against Colombia but are expected to be fit for tomorrow and Makelele reckons France will need all hands on deck to cope with a side he thinks could be the tournament's dark horses.

Group C was tagged the Group of Death the instant France, Italy and Holland were thrown together.

But Romania had the best qualifying record of them all, eclipsing the Dutch in their group and losing only one game.

Claude confessed: "They are tough opposition and are going to pose a lot of problems."