Kylian Mbappe’s French jersey was dyed red by the end of France’s 1-0 win over Austria in their Euro 2024 opener.
As a cross was hurled into the Austrian penalty in stoppage time, France’s captain chucked his head at the ball, only to meet the shoulder of centre-back Kevin Danso. You didn’t need to be a doctor to see that the Real Madrid star had broken his nose, with blood streaming from his nostrils.
French supporters have been left sweating on Mbappe’s fitness in the days since, with a crucial clash against the Netherlands coming up this Friday. Without their talisman, Les Bleus will be a little nervous coming up against the 1988 European champions.
So, will Mbappe be passed fit for France’s clash with the Netherlands?
Will Kylian Mbappe play against the Netherlands?
For now, however, he remains a significant fitness concern for manager Didier Deschamps, with his participation against the Dutch in doubt. Fortunately, he doesn’t need surgery and will feature again at Euro 2024 providing his injury doesn’t get any worse, but he will need to wear a protective face mask for the remainder of his time in Germany. It’s feared he could miss the rest of the group stage.
Mbappe would be an enormous absentee for the French on Friday evening, with the 25-year-old having scored four goals in two Euro 2024 qualifying matches against the Netherlands. Up against a stern defence that contains the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake, Mbappe’s unavailability could prove costly.
What has Didier Deschamps said about Kylian Mbappe’s injury?
Deschamps provided an update on Mbappe’s health shortly after the final whistle against Austria, suggesting things didn’t look good for his skipper.
“A broken nose? Apparently yes,” admitted Deschamps. “His nose is not right at all. We’ll see. Obviously, it’s tonight’s negative. It’s only a nose, but it’s very bothering for us.”
Deschamps added: “I don’t have the elements in my hands. He didn’t get off lightly. It is still to be seen. I cannot at this stage give the answer. He’s not doing well. He’s with the medical staff.
“His nose got badly hit that’s for sure. We need to check, but it seems quite complicated, which is really unfortunate for us tonight.”
However, Mbappe’s French teammate Adrien Rabiot has offered a slightly positive update on his situation.
“When we talk about Kylian Mbappe’s broken nose, I do not think it is the end of the world. He can recover very fast. I also understand that he is not officially ruled out. So, things are not yet confirmed,” stated Juventus midfielder Rabiot.
“We have an exceptional group of players, so I am not going to complain. But, I am not going to hide my feelings either – we all want him to play”
Source: 90min.com
