France National Team Manager Didier Deschamps Defends Mbappe Over Champions League Performances

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe was initially not expected to play in the team’s UEFA Champions League fixtures in August due to injury. He suffered an ankle sprain injury during the Coupe de France final and was slated to miss the remainder of the season. Still, he not only returned in time for the season-defining European fixtures but also had a key impact during his appearances.

Mbappe did not record a goal in any of the final three rounds of the Champions League knockout stage, which garnered stark criticism. But France national team manager Didier Deschamps is pushing away the recent critiques of the forward. In his comments (via Le Parisien) following the unveiling of France’s squad list for the upcoming international break, Deschamps came to the aid of Mbappe and switched the narrative.

“From the moment when there is not the expected result and that Kylian, just like Neymar, is one of the players who must be decisive, he is criticized when he is not successful,” Deschamps said. “Kylian is Kylian, he is not a robot either. He did some good things, he could have done others better.”

Deschamps also talked about the ankle sprain injury that Mbappe suffered before the resumption of Champions League play. The French manager thinks that Mbappe’s recent performances may have been impacted by the fact that he missed time due to the injury.

“The specific context must be taken into account,” Deschamps said. “Being stopped by an injury and having to come back could have had an impact for the semifinal and the final.”

Mbappe should be slated to start in Les Bleus UEFA Nations League fixtures next week.

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Tags Didier Deschamps Kylian Mbappé
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