France fear for bloodied Kylian Mbappe’s nose as Didier Deschamps handles adversity ahead of Netherlands game

France are in good form at UEFA Euro 2024 after a 1-0 victory over Austria to open Group D with three points. But the victory came at a cost Kylian Mbappe suffers suspected broken nose which forced him to leave on Monday night in Dusseldorf. The French captain inspired his team to victory with a scintillating moment of brilliance, which resulted in Maximilian Wober scoring his own goal as half-time approached, but a second-half miss and a late clash of heads with Kevin Danso ensured that Mbappe’s physical condition was now a major concern.

“Kylian’s nose is not good at all,” said coach Didier Deschamps moments after the final whistle. “We’ll see, but obviously it’s the biggest negative tonight,” he added of the possible broken nose that could mean he now needs a mask to play. Aside from the drama surrounding Mbappe and his latest fitness concerns, plus the rust from his final months at Paris Saint-Germain – which many believe left him without crucial fitness ahead of this tournament – it was more or less textbook France under Deschamps.

As at UEFA Euro 2020, Les Bleus’ victory was secured by an own goal, with Wober replacing the then-hapless Mats Hummels, giving the French side their first success of the campaign and their 100th victory under their serial-winning tactician. Deschamps has made an art out of getting results in major international tournaments, and although Euro 2020 did not go to plan, this could reflect the 2022 World Cup, which has seen France grow in the competition as it progresses.

The quality and strength possessed by the two winners is unmatched in this edition, but it regularly takes time for individual and collective excellence to truly blend with the gradual momentum that often makes them difficult to stop as they move towards business. end. N’Golo Kante returning to midfield as if he had never been absent was remarkable, as Deschamps often likes to build around familiarity and is unlikely to make many changes against the Dutch, with a possible place in the knockout stage already up for grabs. to be conquered so soon. possible.

Olivier Giroud has also entered, so has already played in his seventh major international tournament to draw level with Hugo Lloris, Thierry Henry and Lilian Thuram, but he may be required to play more than just the history-making role if Mbappe’s nose injury is confirmed as serious. as initially feared. Much will depend on the next few days before the trip to Leipzig to face Oranje, but it is already shaping up to be a critical game and Deschamps appreciates difficult situations like this, which are not very different from the physical defeats at the start of the 2022 World Cup that galvanized the France.

What usually comes next is a more convincing display against higher quality opposition, which assures everyone that Les Bleus are favorites for a reason, before an opportunity to potentially rotate players in the final group game towards the round of 16. Final. strong tournament pedigree like Deschamps, but it’s not always a pretty sight for the neutral, which happened again here, although Mbappe underlined how important individual brilliance remains for this hugely talented team.