France forward Kylian Mbappe is continuing to recover from his broken nose even though it is not yet sure whether he will play on Tuesday in his side’s last group game at the European Championship, according to coach Didier Deschamps.
Deschamps kept his cards close to his chest on the French Telefoot television programme on Sunday, declining to say if Mbappe would feature against Poland in Dortmund but offering reassuring news for supporters about the recovery of his captain, who fractured his nose last Monday in their opener against Austria.
Following the 0-0 draw against the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday, when Mbappe stayed on the bench, there has been much analysis in the French media over the team’s attacking prowess, or sudden lack thereof.
France’s only goal in their last three football outings was an own goal by Austria’s Maximilian Wober in their opening Group D encounter in Duesseldorf.
But Deschamps gave nothing away when asked if he might freshen up the attack, especially as France, with four points, look certain of a place in the last 16.
Mbappe’s teammates, at a press conference on Sunday, suggested the 25-year-old attacker was eager to play, especially after an hour on the field on Saturday in a training scrimmage against a local academy team.