Kylian Mbappe missed Tuesday’s friendly loss to Germany for France due to a knee injury, according to Didier Deschamps, the head coach of Les Bleus.
Mbappe led his team to a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in a Euro 2024 qualifying match on Friday.
Mbappe’s contribution allowed France to record five straight victories in competitive play while maintaining clean sheets, a feat never before accomplished.
However, Les Bleus’ glorious run came to an end in midweek against Rudi Voller’s Germany.
The 24-year-old was benched as France was defeated by goals from Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane, with Antoine Griezmann’s 89th-minute consolation coming too late to set off a comeback.
Deschamps unsurprisingly made several changes for the friendly showdown with the Euro 2024 hosts, as Randal Kolo Muani partnered Griezmann in attack, while Jean-Clair Todibo, William Saliba, Kingsley Coman, Benjamin Pavard and Eduardo Camavinga were also introduced.
Mbappe’s failure to earn any minutes raised a few eyebrows, and Deschamps revealed after the game that the former Monaco man had felt some discomfort in his knee.
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“Kylian had a problem with his patellar tendon which is bothering him. If he couldn’t start, it wasn’t to bring him in,” L’Equipe quotes Deschamps as saying.
PSG have not published an official update on Mbappe’s injury, but the attacker’s latest issue is most inopportune for the French champions, who face a crucial period of fixtures within the next few weeks.
Les Parisiens return to action at home to an unbeaten Nice side on Friday night, before commencing their latest bid for Champions League glory at home to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening.
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