France-Turkey: Cherki Surprised by Blues' Play Despite Pitch Conditions

France secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Turkey in their Nations League opener on Friday. Post-match, Rayan Cherki commented on the difficult playing surface, dedicating the win to Zinedine Zidane.

The performance was far from perfect but showed promise. In Zinedine Zidane's debut as head coach, the French national team defeated Turkey 1-0 on Friday, marking the first matchday of the Nations League. Kylian Mbappé scored the game's only goal before leaving injured, securing a vital win for a team with room for improvement.

'Honestly, we're very pleased,' Rayan Cherki stated in the mixed zone. 'We knew it would be a tough match, aware of Turkey's strengths. The pitch didn't help us; it was very difficult. But I'm genuinely happy with the game we played. We battled hard in the duels and gave everything we could today.'

'This Victory Is For Him'

While the poor state of the pitch didn't prevent France from winning, Cherki suggested it contributed to the team's somewhat subdued performance. 'We've had three training sessions. But you immediately feel the principles he's trying to instill in us: get the ball quickly, keep possession. Today, the quality we showed, despite the pitch conditions... we were quite surprised ourselves, to be frank.'

Regarding Zinedine Zidane and his coaching methods, the Manchester City player, deployed in midfield, is already impressed. 'It's a pure pleasure. We know his history as a player and a coach; we were eager to start this new journey with a win. It's a great result because the match was genuinely difficult given the circumstances. This victory is for him. Everything is new for us and for him, and we're very happy. We're giving our maximum on the field, which is the most important thing.'