France hold no fears for Georgia

The football-crazy city of Tbilisi is expecting minor miracles as Georgia take on France in a UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier this weekend.

France fans
Happiest when associated with stylish soccer, Georgians have long admired the French game - there was even a France supporters club registered in Tbilisi for the recent FIFA World Cup. However, with a renewed sense of purpose around the national team under new German coach Klaus Toppmöller, Raymond Domenech's men should not expect a warm welcome at the Boris Paichadze stadium.

EURO task
The former Bayer 04 Leverkusen boss's arrival has reinvigorated local fans' belief. "Georgia have some top players in their ranks," said Toppmöller at the time of his appointment. "That's why I gladly accepted the offer from the Georgian Football Federation and agreed to take over. My task is to get Georgia to the final tournament of UEFA EURO 2008™."

Ambitious talk
Outside the one-time Soviet Republic on the shores of the Black Sea that might seem wildly ambitious talk, especially in a Group B featuring Italy, Ukraine and Scotland as well as France. However, confidence levels are rising, with one supporter telling uefa.com: "We can beat France, but the least I will settle for is a draw."

Natural style
Toppmöller and his assistant Ralf Minge checked out around 50 players in friendly games ahead of the qualifiers, eventually reverting to a 4-3-3 formation. It might be a German who reintroduced the system, but it is the one that has traditionally suited the free-flowing Georgian game, making local sides famous throughout the former Soviet Union.

Faroese rout
It also proved devastatingly effective in their opening qualifier against the Faroe Islands in Toftir, with a hat-trick from Shota Arveladze - newly returned to the squad after talks with Toppmöller - the highlight of a 6-0 win. Fans rejoiced back home, but the 55-year-old was more critical of his team's performance.

Toppmöller unsatisfied
"It's great to start with a win," said Toppmöller, who led Leverkusen to the UEFA Champions League final in 2001/02. "We played the kind of football I had planned before the match but we committed some defensive mistakes. Those were the kind of mistakes you cannot commit against France and Ukraine - they will simply have no mercy."

Squad problems
France and Ukraine are Georgia's next opponents, and both will be faced without injured captain Kakha Kaladze, fellow defender Otar Khizaneishvili and midfielder Levan Tskitishvili. However, Blackburn Rovers FC centre-back Zurab Khizanishvili is back in action while Otar Martsvaladze of FC Dynamo Kyiv is also fit to play.

Skill and discipline
"France, of course, are big favourites. But if we want to play at EURO 2008, we must beat them at home," said Toppmöller. "It will be hard to do that, but Georgia have the potential to beat anyone. Georgians are very technical and skilful. If we enhance that with discipline and tactics, which we work on every day, then we will build a strong team."

Hallowed turf
The match will mark Georgia's return to the Boris Paichadze stadium after a three-year absence during which the arena has been totally revamped. Now the hope is that Toppmöller's revitalised side can make the venue one which even the biggest European nations approach with a sense of trepidation.