After Austria, it’s the Netherlands that will face Les Bleus in the second matchday of the group stage. This Friday, in Leipzig, at 8:00 PM, the French team can secure their spot in the Round of 16 by earning three points, but their opponents will undoubtedly be seeking revenge.
Kylian Mbappé left the field injured on Monday night and trained on Wednesday and Thursday, but he remains doubtful for the second group match. Although he didn’t shine against Austria, the French captain was responsible for the only goal of the game and thus the victory.
“Yesterday he was able to go out and do activities like tonight, so things are moving in the right direction for him to be available tomorrow. We will ensure he is available,” said Didier Deschamps in a press conference before the match.
Although they don’t necessarily depend on their number 10, Les Bleus approach this match against the Netherlands, which feels like a final, with some apprehension. Yes, if Mbappé has to be replaced, Didier Deschamps still has a reliable option up front, but who will be the lucky one?
What to do without Mbappé?
Against Canada, in a friendly, the future Real Madrid player started on the bench, offering another perspective for Les Bleus. Olivier Giroud was chosen for the starting eleven, but the current AC Milan player didn’t have a great performance. Of course, this didn’t impact the result, but the top scorer in France’s history will need to do better if he plays against the Netherlands this Friday.
In the past, he hasn’t always performed well in international tournaments, but at almost 38 years old, doubts have faded. He is not necessarily expected to score goals, but rather to help the team, both with and without the ball.
Deschamps has several options to replace the captain if needed. Randal Kolo Muani is ready to play, as is Bradley Barcola, provided Marcus Thuram is moved to the center. The Inter striker had an excellent season in his first year in Italy and has earned his coach’s trust.
However, it is not certain that he can reclaim the center-forward position. Ultimately, what matters most is the player, not the initial position assigned by Deschamps. Yes, it will have an impact, but what counts is how the game is played. And in this regard, the French team without Mbappé is a collective that necessarily relies less on the individual prowess of its best player. This doesn’t mean they can’t dominate an opponent and secure the three points.
But with a few hours to go before kickoff, the signs are positive, and Mbappé trained with his teammates on Thursday during a part of the session open to the media. In a few hours, we will have the answer.
A flattering record, but…
In 30 encounters, Les Bleus have won 15 times against the Oranje. More importantly, in the last 8 games, they have won 7 times and lost only once, in November 2018, during the Nations League. Recently, the Dutch team has struggled against their French counterparts. The psychological advantage will likely be on the French side, but there is one detail not to be overlooked.
In the history of the Euro, the two teams have faced each other before. It was in 1996, in the quarter-finals, then in 2000, in the group stage, and finally in 2008, again in the group stage. On all occasions, France did not succeed. Worse still, 16 years ago, Raymond Domenech’s Bleus suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat.
Since then, everything has changed for both sides, but it should not be forgotten that the Netherlands have often performed well in such contexts and are more than capable of doing so again this Friday in Leipzig.
Memphis Depay and his teammates did not convince in the first game against Poland, and this supposed final against Les Bleus is an excellent test for them. It remains to be seen if they can raise their game…