Mbappé on the bench as Zidane manages the Blues for the first time

This Friday will mark Zinedine Zidane's first in charge of the France national team during a Nations League match played in Turkey. The new manager of the French could thus inaugurate a 4‑3‑3 system, but captain Kylian Mbappé may stay on the bench.

A busy autumn gathering

The match is part of a long autumn gathering consisting of four fixtures, also including Italy and Belgium twice. This preparation phase aims to test the new tactical system before the campaign starts.

Absences that change the eleven

Warren Zaïre‑Emery's recent withdrawal forces the staff to rethink the midfield. Rayan Cherki is being considered to complete the starting midfield, a step above Manu Koné and Adrien Rabiot. In attack, the unstoppable trio of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise is taking shape, but Mbappé may not start.

Flu stops Mbappé from training, Nations League crucial

Three days before the inaugural meeting, Kylian Mbappé is missing from the day's training, suffering from a flu‑like syndrome. “Zinedine Zidane's second training session as head of the France national team, this Tuesday, will take place without Kylian Mbappé,” L’Équipe reports. The captain of the French (106 caps, 66 goals) remains at the château while the 22 players train at the Clairefontaine complex.

The first session led by the former playmaker had gathered only 12 players the day before. Today, the presence of 22 players shows the progress of Zidane's work, but Mbappé's health condition could lead the manager to exercise caution on Friday in Turkey.