Kylian Mbappe will miss France’s Nations League meeting with Italy on Thursday after suffering a minor thigh problem, manager Zinedine Zidane has confirmed.
Mbappe was absent from France’s final team training session on Wednesday and instead received treatment ahead of the Group A match in Milan. Reports in France say the Real Madrid forward is experiencing discomfort in his hamstring.
“Kylian will miss tomorrow’s match. He felt some slight pain and, as usual, we do not want to take any risks,” Zidane told reporters, according to RMC Sport. “It is unfortunate, but these things are part of football. I hope he will be with us on Sunday for the match against Turkey.”
Mbappe’s absence comes amid reports of tension between the France captain and Zidane, who took charge of the national side this season. L’Equipe has reported that their relationship is not as harmonious as the one Mbappe previously had with former manager Didier Deschamps.
The issue is understood to have developed during Zidane’s first camp, when he used Mbappe on the left wing and selected Ousmane Dembele as a central striker. That decision was interpreted as a change in Mbappe’s importance within France’s attacking structure, particularly because the Real Madrid player has recently preferred to operate as a centre-forward.
Asked about Mbappe’s state of mind, Zidane said: “I find him in good shape. The proof is that he is still with us. He is not happy and he wanted to play tomorrow, but we must not take risks because the season is still long.”
France will also be without Aurelien Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram, who Zidane has already ruled out of the squad.
“I choose the players and sometimes things happen that we cannot control,” he said. “November is a period with league matches and Champions League games, and we have to accept that. It is unfortunate. For a manager, it is awful, but we have no choice.”
Zidane explains France selection decisions
Zidane said Senny Mayulu was called up because of his technical qualities and the number of absentees.
“I like everything about him, his technique and what he brings,” he said. “He is naturally a player who is on the list. We try to do things logically. We are not looking only at players from the Under-21 team. We have a squad and, when there are absences, we call up replacements.”
He added that France still had enough quality to compete with Italy: “We will look for balance so the team is in the best possible condition. We have players capable of producing a good performance despite everything. When we have no choice, we put the players in and try to win.”
Zidane said Diouf could play on the left despite having a different role for his club, while he wants to use Warren Zaire-Emery in midfield. “On the right, we are fine with Malo Gusto and Sael Kumbedi,” he said.
Asked whether Kroupi would start, Zidane replied: “We will see. He is with us and the idea is for him to be part of the group. We know what he has been through, but today he is ready. We will handle his situation carefully, but we know his qualities.”
Zidane declined to comment on French judoka Teddy Riner’s bid for the presidency of France, saying: “I have nothing to say about that. He has done it, and I simply wish him good luck with what he wants to do.”
The former Juventus midfielder also reflected on his time in Italy and left open the possibility of managing the club one day.
“Marcello Lippi taught me that you must always move forward,” he said. “When I arrived in Turin, I was not playing well, so the press and supporters did not think I was performing at the right level. Lippi told me I had to play with him, and I stuck to my position.”
He added: “To become Juventus manager? Why not, perhaps in the future.”
Zidane said tactical work was the main lesson he took from Italian football, recalling that Lippi spent 30 minutes every day working on tactics with his players. “It was sometimes frustrating for a player like me who wanted to play football, but I was lucky to have that experience because they were masters tactically,” he said. “He gave me confidence and I tried to repay him on the pitch.”
