Intro:

On Friday, a day after UEFA President Michel Platini said things will go well for the French team if "they get down off the bus," French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet told reporters in Donetsk that Platini did not mean any harm.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (French) Noel Le Graet, French Football Federation President:

(Question: "What did you think of UEFA President Michel Platini's remarks on the French team's attitude yesterday?)
"Michel has a great sense of humour."

SOUNDBITE: (French), Noel Le Graet, French Football Federation President:

"We all know Michel (Platini), his timing was maybe not ideal, but it was not meant to be mean, everybody knows that. Who does not say what he says?

(Question: "Did you sense provocation in his remark?"
"Yes, a bit of provocation."

SOUNDBITE: (French) Noel Le Graet, French Football Federation President:

(Question: "What are your goals in terms of results?")
"We need to qualify, come out of the group stage. On these three coming matches, we will able to judge the team, but on just one match, anything can happen. Whether we make it to the quarter-finals or semi-finals, we need to come out of the group stage. We are 17th in FIFA's rankings. Our team is better than that. Our duty is to try and move up the rankings and to qualify."