Absent from the October sequence, Kylian Mbappé, captain of the Blues, will be summoned by Didier Deschamps this Thursday for the matches against Israel and Italy.
Whether he is present or absent, Kylian Mbappé always gets people talking about him. The price of glory. Thursday, when Didier Deschamps reveals the names of the 23 players who will play the last two matches of 2024 with the France team against Israel and Italy (November 14-17) in the Nations League, the name of the captain of the Blues will be pronounced. Logic ? Of course. Even if the absence of the Madrilenian in October, spared by the coach, caused much more talk than the meetings won against Israel (1-4) and Belgium (1-2). Also a sign that with the international retirement of Antoine Griezmann, Mbappé is now emerging as the only international star in the French ranks.
Criticized from all sides with Real Madrid, after the two slaps received against Barcelona (0-4) and AC Milan (1-3) at the Bernabeu, Kylian Mbappé will return to a France group that he left in September on a taste bitter. Between a lunar press conference before the match against Italy, then a distressing copy on the field and loud whistles in Lyon, the former Parisian had experienced this sequence in a detached manner. His return will be scrutinized, on and off the field, without forgetting the investigation for rape in Sweden which he is targeted according to two local media.
A “sacrificed” midfielder… with the return of Mbappé?
If the captain of the Blues will be there, this will not be the case for Aurélien Tchouaméni, promoted to this function last month. Hit in the ankle against AC Milan on Tuesday, the midfielder, author of a disastrous first period, is out. A situation which should benefit Adrien Rabiot, who is regaining sensations with OM, in a sector of play where we should observe the elements of October (Camavinga, Koné, Zaire-Emery, Fofana, Guendouzi). Unless the return of Mbappé forces Deschamps to modify his list and “sacrifice” a midfielder.
Knight in the list and rewarded for his XXL performances in the Champions League
Attractive and decisive with Lille in the Champions League, but not only that, Lucas Chevalier should also be there according to our information. The northern goalkeeper would take the place of Alphonse Areola and discover the A’s on this last meeting of 2024 alongside Maignan and Samba. A fair reward for a decisive player who was not impressed against Real Madrid, Atlético or Juventus Turin in C1.
In defense, the base of October (T. Hernandez, Digne, Upamecano, Konaté, Saliba, Fofana, Koundé, Clauss…) is expected. Even if he repeated his desire to be in Blue, Benjamin Pavard, sidelined since the Euro, should not be called up. The match against Israel, the weakest opponent in this sequence, could allow Deschamps to start Fofana, who remained on the bench without any minutes of play in the last two matches. Relaunching Pavard would make little sense in view of the famous “oxygenation” of the France group launched in September.
In the offensive sector, in addition to the return of Mbappé, Thuram, Kolo Muani, Olise, Dembélé, Nkunku, Barcola have every reason to imagine themselves at Clairefontaine on Monday. What about Coman, who is finding playing time in Munich? It’s hard to imagine the winger causing the release of one of the elements mentioned above. Answer this Thursday at 2 p.m.
