France boss Didier Deschamps insists that he is “not concerned” by his team’s failure to find the back of the net against Netherlands without Kylian Mbappe.
France head coach Didier Deschamps has insisted that he is “not concerned” by his team’s failure to find the back of the net against the Netherlands in the absence of Kylian Mbappe.
The Blues were held to a goalless draw by the Netherlands in Friday’s Euro 2024 fixture, and Deschamps’s side found it difficult in the final third of the field without Mbappe.
The soon-to-be Real Madrid forward was an unused substitute on Friday due to the broken nose that he suffered during France’s opening game at the European Championship against Austria.
Deschamps has revealed that Mbappe would likely have been involved had it been a must-win contest.
As it transpired, the point has left the two-time European Championship winners in a strong position to reach the round of 16 ahead of their last match in Group D against already-eliminated Poland.
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Deschamps “not concerned” by France output
“I am not concerned,” Deschamps told reporters when asked about his team’s failure to find the back of the net without the services of their star player.
“It is just the name of the game. Sometimes you have countless chances and don’t hit the back of the net and sometimes it is the other way round.
“I would be worried if there were not any chances. Efficiency at high-level football is important and it is something we can work on.
“If it had been a decisive game I may have thought twice about him playing or not. But it is important for me to think about how he is feeling, he has a bruise, he has to wear a mask and that may change his vision too.
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Mbappe could again be rested against Poland
“There is also the risk we would be taking and with each day passing we are getting to the point where he is better as well. I felt the wiser decision was to keep him on the bench.”
There was a point during the warm-up ahead of the Netherlands clash when Mbappe looked frustrated with the mask that he will be forced to wear when he takes to the field.
France are highly unlikely to fail to qualify for the round of 16 even if they lose against Poland, so Deschamps could make the decision to give Mbappe another rest on June 25.
As it stands, the Blues will be finishing second in Group D, which would see them take on the runner-up from Group E, currently Ukraine, in the last-16 stage of the tournament.
Mbappe entered Euro 2024 off the back of scoring 44 goals and registering 11 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain during the 2023-24 campaign; the 25-year-old is now preparing to make the move to Real Madrid on a free transfer, with the switch set to be made official on July 1.
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