Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how France could line up for Friday’s Euro 2024 clash with the Netherlands.
France manager Didier Deschamps has been dealt a devastating blow over Kylian Mbappe ahead of Friday’s Euro 2024 Group D battle with the Netherlands at the Red Bull Arena.
The Real Madrid-bound attacker provided an injection of pace to set up Les Bleus’ winner against Austria – which came via the head of Maximilian Wober – before he smashed his face into Kevin Danso‘s shoulder in the second half.
The bloodied Mbappe – who was also booked for coming back onto the field without permission – was subsequently revealed to have sustained a broken nose, but there is still a chance that he could return to action with a protective mask before Les Bleus’ campaign ends.
However, the 25-year-old is expected to sit out Friday’s clash of the titans, depriving Deschamps of his attacking X-factor, although it is not as if the Bleus boss is short of options to replace him.
One of those alternatives is all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud, who is expected to shake off an adductor niggle to start in the striker’s spot, supported by Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Marcus Thuram.
Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni are expected to be fine to feature despite ankle and foot problems, but neither man should take the places of Adrien Rabiot or N’Golo Kante, who shone with a quintessentially dominant midfield display against Austria.
After helping his nation keep their third clean sheet in a row, William Saliba has likely done enough to justify another inclusion over Ibrahima Konate, as Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez and Jules Kounde also protect Mike Maignan.
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Thuram; Giroud
> Click here to see how the Netherlands could line up for this clash
No Data Analysis info