Laurent rips Les Bleus

International Sports

Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates after scoring a goal. Photo Credit:Reuters.France coach Laurent Blanc tore into his France players and admitted they will have no chance of beating holders Spain if they repeat this dire display.

France's 23-match unbeaten run came to an ignominious end as goals from Zlatan Imbrahimovic and Seb Larsson condemned Blanc's side to a deserved defeat.

The penalty for such an abject performance was second place in Group D behind England and a quarter-final meeting with Spain, the team everyone was desperate to avoid.World Cup holders and European champions Spain will have an extra day to prepare, while France will be without defender Philippe Mexes, who is suspended after picking up a second booking.

"You always have to be optimistic," said Blanc. "But it's not the easiest thing to play Spain. We're also going to have one day less rest than them.

"We'll have to put in a really good performance to beat Spain, and it's very difficult to imagine beating them how we played tonight.

"I think we need to be realistic. We're going to play one of the best teams here, one of the best sides in this world.

"The problem with Spain is they don't let you have the ball very much. We can expect a Spanish side who want to keep the ball, as they always want to do.

"But we have to try and counter that. Croatia showed what you need to do against Spain. Every time they had a chance they really went for it. That's what we're going to need to do.

"But we're going to need to play really well if we're going to keep enjoying this European adventure."

Blanc lamented the end of his side's unbeaten run but said they should be satisfied to have made the last eight, given the mess he inherited when he took over the national side two years ago.

"We were on an unbeaten run and that's over now," said Blanc. "We always said one day that would come to an end.

"But we're through to the quarter-finals, that's what we wanted to do.

"When I took over, if someone had said we would qualify for the quarter-finals of the European Championships, we would have taken that. I think we have to keep that in mind."

Erik Hamren's Sweden side played with greater purpose, intensity and enterprise than France and were fully deserving of their sign-off victory.

When he is the mood, Sweden skipper Ibrahimovic is a striker capable of moments of sheer brilliance, as he showed with his exquisitely struck 54th-minute volley.

Taking Larsson's cross first-time, Ibrahimovic unleashed an unstoppable right-foot volley into the far corner, giving France keeper Lloris no chance of stopping it.

Larsson gave Sweden some breathing space in the first minute of added time, lashing the ball in after sub Samuel Holmen had hit the bar with his effort.

Sweden departed Euro 2012 with a semblance of pride. But for France, the new dawn under Blanc is in danger of suffering its first major setback.