Why Kylian Mbappé’s injury hampers France’s Zidane era plans | OneFootball

Kylian Mbappé has returned to Madrid for assessment on a left knee injury, disrupting Zinédine Zidane’s first extended camp with France. According to Le Progres, the issue curtails the captain’s involvement in this window.

The setback came in Türkiye early in the second half, when Mbappé scored the only goal and hurt his supporting left leg. After a check from team doctor Hervé Collado he briefly played on, then lay down and asked to be substituted.

He has a tendon lesion and further tests revealed a hyperextension of the posterior capsule of the left knee. His camp is over and he will not be replaced in the squad.

Zidane said he would not take any risks and accepted it is a blow, with his captain missing the next three Nations League matches.

Despite scoring, Mbappé’s display was short of its usual spark from the left, and his link with Ousmane Dembélé, used through the middle, was limited.

Zidane is bedding in a 4-3-3 and wanted continuity to build automatisms, perhaps even trying Mbappé differently against Belgium or Italy, but any tweaks must wait until at least November. With a refreshed group, Mbappé remains the key conduit for the manager, yet his relationship with Zidane is still forming and this camp was meant to frame how they work together. The staff had envisaged a smoother start, but international management also means adapting.

Source: Le Progres

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”