France captain Kylian Mbappe appears on course to be available for his side’s European Championship game against the Netherlands on Friday.
Mbappe fractured his nose in an aerial collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso and was subsequently replaced in the closing stages of the 2-1 victory over Austria.
The 25-year-old, who has scored 47 goals in 80 appearances for his country, joined Wednesday’s training session with a large bandage on his nose but without any kind of protective mask. Head coach Didier Deschamps confirmed in a news conference on Thursday that France will “make sure” Mbappe is available and confirmed the soon-to-be Real Madrid man will wear a mask for the Netherlands game.
On Wednesday, Mbappe teased the prospect of him taking part in France’s second game of the group stage with a cryptic message on social message. “Without risks, there are no victories,” he wrote on Instagram, sparking speculation he would be available for Friday’s match.
“Everything’s going in the right direction,” Deschamps then said on Thursday. “After this major shock that he’s had, with the consequences of course. “Yesterday, as you saw, he was able to go out and do a bit of activity. And that’ll be the case tonight too.
“So things are moving in the right direction so that he can be available tomorrow. We’ll make sure he’s available, I repeat.”
In training following Deschamps’ press conference, Mbappe wore a mask.
Deschamps also confirmed that fellow injury doubts Olivier Giroud and Dayot Upamecano will take part in Thursday evening’s training session, and gave an update on Aurelien Tchouameni, who sat out the Austria game having suffered an injury with Real Madrid last month. “Aurelien, his healing is good,” Deschamps added. “Obviously, in midfield, they can all be starters.
“Aurelien, because of what he’s done, he is in better condition than he was in the first game. I didn’t use him for the simple reason that, even though he was available, there were other players who were more ready than he was. And now there’s a second match, there’ll be a third. I’m already thinking about tomorrow’s game, but you’ll see what role he’ll play.”
France vice-captain Antoine Griezmann, meanwhile, was asked how the team would cope if Mbappe if not available against the Netherlands. “The whole team should adapt,” he said. “But I don’t know if he’s going to play.
“He’s one of the best players in the world, having him or not makes a huge difference. You always have to adapt in football. No matter tomorrow, we will have to adapt for everyone, that must be our strength too.”
Mbappe and Griezmann (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
France confirmed Mbappe’s fractured nose diagnosis following X-rays at a local hospital after the Austria game on Monday night. They added that the forward will wear a mask to “enable him to return to competition after a period of treatment”. They also announced that, at the current time, the plan is that he will not undergo surgery for the time being.
At a news conference on Tuesday, FFF president Philippe Diallo said on Mbappe: “The news was rather reassuring in that there is no operation in the short term. Regarding his participation in the rest of the tournament, it is a little premature to give a timetable.”
France face Netherlands at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig on Friday before closing out the group stage against Poland at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park next Tuesday.
(Photo: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Read the full article here