Arsene Wenger has praised Olivier Giroud’s strength of character ahead of France’s opening game at Euro 2016, revealing he has a “lot of respect” for the Arsenal striker.
France kick off the tournament on Friday night with a clash against Romania at the Stade de France, as Didier Deschamps’ men look to make a strong start on home soil.
For Giroud though, this summer presents him an opportunity to lay to rest a disastrous second half of the season at Arsenal in the Premier League.
His alarming loss of form at the turn of the year had a detrimental effect on the Gunners’ title charge, with Leicester City taking advantage, which led to plenty of criticism being laid at his door.
Wenger defended his compatriot – who netted 24 goals across all competitions this term – as reported by Get French Football News: “He is a very solid person. I have a lot of respect for him.”
“When you see his career, where he has come from, to go down to go back to the top level, you have to be strong.”
Giroud scored 16 goals in 38 league appearances, but just six of those came in 2016, including a hat-trick on the final day against already-relegated Aston Villa.
Despite his struggles, the 29-year-old clearly has the backing of Wenger ahead of the Euros, which could do wonders for his confidence.
France are considered one of the favourites for the tournament, even though their squad has been hit with off-field issues and injury problems.
Karim Benzema’s absence has certainly worked to Giroud’s advantage, as despite his poor record for Arsenal this year he’s expected to start against Romania.
Following Friday’s game, Les Bleus take on Albania on Wednesday evening, before facing Switzerland in their final Group A clash on 19th June.
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