Zidane Confirms Mbappé Will Miss Italy Match and Says He Wants to Coach Juventus
Zinedine Zidane confirmed that Kylian Mbappé will miss Thursday’s France-Italy match in the fifth round of the Nations League group stage after experiencing slight muscle pain. He said the coaching staff did not want to risk the player, who had wanted to play, and expressed hope he would return for Sunday’s match against Turkey.
Zinedine Zidane confirmed that Kylian Mbappé will miss the France-Italy match scheduled for Thursday in the fifth round of the Nations League group stage, after experiencing slight muscle pain. He said the coaching staff did not want to risk the player, who had wanted to play, and expressed hope he would return for Sunday’s match against Turkey.
Zidane added that Mbappé was in good shape but unhappy to miss the match. French media reports said he had felt discomfort in his hamstring muscles, missed the final group training session and received treatment instead.
Zidane recalled the impact of the late Italian coach Marcello Lippi on his early days at Juventus, saying Lippi believed in him when he was not playing well and that he owed him a great deal. He also said he would be happy to coach Juventus in the future, while acknowledging that what will happen is unknown.