Zinédine Zidane has suffered another setback ahead of France’s Nations League clash with Italy. Kylian Mbappé missed the final group training session at Clairefontaine on Wednesday morning as his teammates prepared for Thursday’s match at San Siro.
Zidane had been counting on his captain to lead the attack in Milan, particularly after losing Ousmane Dembélé before naming his squad and seeing Marcus Thuram withdraw from the camp through injury.
According to L’Équipe, Mbappé is experiencing hamstring pain and has been receiving treatment. Canal+ reports that he will miss the Italy match but will stay with the squad to continue his recovery in the hope of being fit to face Turkey in Bordeaux on Sunday.
Zidane has called up Senny Mayulu from France’s under-21 squad, handing the Paris Saint-Germain player his first senior call-up. Mayulu gives France another option in attack, having played at centre-forward under Luis Enrique this season.
Mayulu’s call-up came after Aurélien Tchouaméni left the camp and returned to Madrid with a right adductor injury. Tchouaméni will miss both matches, and Mbappé is the second Real Madrid player to pick up an injury during this international break.
Mbappé scored the winner against Turkey in Zidane’s first game in charge of France in September, before going off with a left knee injury and missing the next three internationals. He now faces another race to be fit for national team duty.
France have taken 10 points from their first four matches and need just one point from their final two games to secure a quarter-final place. Zidane’s side can seal qualification in Milan before hosting Turkey.
