Kylian Mbappe could feature for France against the Netherlands despite a broken nose, as the Real Madrid superstar teased his imminent return.
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Mbappe suffered a broken nose against AustriaCould still play against the NetherlandsHowever, France have a few other injury concernsWHAT HAPPENED?
The forward had to undergo further tests on Wednesday on his broken nose to determine the real extent of his injury after Didier Deschamps revealed that he would have to undergo surgery. However, Mbappe was back for the Les Bleus' training session on Wednesday, according to although he did an individual routineMoreover, Mbappe himself and the official French national team posted on social media to tease that the 2018 World Cup winner might be available for the crucial match against the Dutch on Friday.
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Mbappe shared two pictures on Instagram with a caption that read: "Without risks there are no victories."
Meanwhile, the French national team also put out a tweet with an hourglass emoji and a picture of Mbappe sitting in the middle of the pitch.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
According to Theo Hernandez, the 26-year-old AC Milan left-back, missed Wednesday's training session due to muscle pain in his gluteal region. Hernandez has been training separately from the rest of the squad, focusing on his fitness by working on a bike. This development raises questions about his availability for France’s upcoming match against the Netherlands.
If he is unable to recover in time for the match against the Netherlands, Deschamps has a couple of options. Ferland Mendy, the Real Madrid left-back, is a likely candidate to step into the starting line-up. Additionally, Deschamps could consider Eduardo Camavinga, another Real Madrid player, who has been deployed at left-back on occasion despite being primarily a midfielder.
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Hernandez is not the only player under an injury cloud. Reports from indicate that both William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, who played pivotal roles in France’s 1-0 victory over Austria, also missed training due to muscular pain. Saliba, 23, who earned his first major tournament start, has quickly become a crucial component of the French defence, partnering effectively with Upamecano. The absence of these two central defenders from training just days before a crucial match is a significant concern for Deschamps. In a piece of positive news for the French camp, veteran striker Olivier Giroud has returned to training after missing Tuesday’s session due to a minor injury.
