By France captain Kylian Mbappe’s Euro 2024 campaign has been thrown into uncertainty after he suffered a broken nose during his team’s victory over Austria on Monday. The injury, which occurred in the 86th minute following a clash with Austria defender Kevin Danso, could hamper Mbappe’s ability to represent the national team for the remainder of the tournament.
The French Football Federation (FFF) swiftly confirmed that Mbappe’s nose was indeed broken, and although initial reports suggested that surgery was expected, the decision was made against operating on the World Cup winner for the time being. Instead, Mbappe will undergo treatment in the coming days, and a mask will be constructed to enable him to consider resuming competition after a period of recovery.
France manager Didier Deschamps admitted that Mbappe’s injury was one of the low points of the night, stating, “Kylian’s nose is not fine at all. We will see, but obviously it is the biggest negative to take from this evening.”
Despite the setback, Mbappe is still expected to play a significant role for France as they aim to win the Euros for the first time since 2000. However, even if he is cleared for an immediate return by the medical team, Mbappe might face another issue regarding his availability. In his attempt to rejoin the match after receiving treatment, Mbappe re-entered the field without the referee’s permission and picked up a yellow card. Players will be suspended for one game at the Euros if they accumulate two yellow cards, and bookings will not be wiped until after the quarterfinals.
France will resume their Euro 2024 campaign on Friday when they face the Netherlands in Leipzig, with top spot in Group D on the line. The French team will be hoping that Mbappe’s injury and potential disciplinary issues do not derail their quest for European glory.
CBSNews
