Is it easy to play with a mask on your face? Kylian Mbappé, victim of a broken nose on June 17 against Austria, will quickly find out this Tuesday as France faces Poland at 6 p.m. After watching, helplessly, the Blues’ draw against the Netherlands (0-0), the captain of the Tricolores, who became familiar with this protection during training, says he is ready to shake the nets.
This makes Robert Lewandowski wince, having already experienced this situation in 2015. For the scorer, who has very bad memories of it, it will be a handicap for the Frenchman.
Nine years ago, while playing for Bayern Munich, the Polish center-forward, victim of a fractured cheekbones and nose a few days earlier in the German Cup, suffered with this mask in the middle of the figure. Against FC Barcelona in the Champions League, it did not exist, with a 3-0 defeat and elimination.
“When I had to wear a mask, it wasn’t nice,” he remembers. It’s quite annoying, especially in the penalty area, it was complicated. I couldn’t see well, my field of vision was diminished. It’s a few thousandths of a second but it can slow down a player (…) It’s not pleasant, but of course, health is more important than the rest. During a big competition, emotions are very high and everyone wants to play at all costs. I completely understand the challenge and the difficulties for Mbappé.
His adversaries are also not going to give him any gifts; in a duel a blow to the face quickly arrived. Hit in the knee during preparation, Robert Lewandowski, who also missed the first match of this Euro while he was injured in a knee, should also make his return to a pitch at Signal Iduna Park that he knows well. France – Poland? Who said down on the masks?
