Mbappe will not play against Italy in the Nations League, France coach Zidane confirms
France, hit by injuries before their UEFA Nations League match against Italy, will also be without captain Kylian Mbappe. There had been doubt about him after he missed training, and France coach Zinedine Zidane has now confirmed it.
Mbappe last played on 25 September in a Nations League match against Turkey. He scored the match-winning goal that day. But he then missed the next three matches because of an injury to his left knee. At the start of the November window he has faced the same experience again.
French newspaper L'Equipe reported that Mbappe is suffering from a hamstring problem and was therefore absent from the national team's training on Wednesday.
Zidane told the outlet: 'He will be out tomorrow (today). He has some pain and, as usual, we will not take any risk. Losing any player is sad, but that is part of the game. I hope it will not be too serious and that he will be available before Sunday's (next) match.'
Hearing about Mbappe's injury, Italy coach Roberto Mancini joked: 'My advice is that he should not take a risk. Because there is a Real Madrid Champions League match ahead. So it would be good if he does not play tomorrow's (today's) match.' Apart from that, he said, France's squad has many forwards, each better than the next, and choosing among them is also difficult.
After the Italy match, France will play Turkey on Sunday. Tonight (Thursday) at 1:45am, Zidane's team will be hosted by Italy at San Siro in Milan.
Before this match, PSG's 20-year-old midfielder Mayulu has been called up to the national team for the first time. He has been taken in place of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni.
French striker Marcus Thuram has also been ruled out of this window through injury. Bournemouth's 20-year-old forward Eli Junior Kroupi has been called up in his place.
