Didier Deschamps was unable to confirm whether or not Kylian Mbappé will be able to return to the France team for their next match against the Netherlands on Friday after the forward suffered a badly broken nose in Düsseldorf.
Pressed on whether Mbappé had gone to hospital, Deschamps pleaded ignorance. “I don’t know,” he insisted. “The medical staff is looking after him. I don’t have the evidence in my hands. The staff are checking him out. I saw him on the massage table. He didn’t get off lightly. It remains to be seen.”
Deschamps added: “The national squad will always be stronger with Kylian. But if the news does not go along these lines we will have to fight without him. But Kylian is Kylian and every team is stronger with him in it.”
A French Football Federation statement later said that Mbappé had gone to hospital before returning to France’s base and would not need surgery. “A mask will be made so as to allow the No 10 of the French team to consider resuming competition after a period devoted to treatment,” it said.
