France’s preparations for the 2024 Euro have hit a snag as captain Mbappe missed an open training session on Thursday. The French squad have been training at their European Championship base in Paderborn, Germany.
This week, they held a practice session attended by approximately 4,000 spectators at the Home Deluxe Arena. However, the new Real Madrid star was noticeably absent from the group.
According to Le Parisien, Mbappe, who had trained normally the previous day, was confined to individual work in the gym. Despite his illness, the star striker later made an appearance in a tracksuit and sneakers to sign autographs. He also took selfies with fans, maintaining a positive presence even while under the weather. The 25-year-old is expected to be one of the standout performers at the tournament.
Other players and staff members affected
The virus outbreak has also affected France’s manager Didier Deschamps and several other players, including Kingsley Coman and Ousmane Dembele. The PSG winger then revealed during a press conference that he had recently recovered from the flu.
Dembele reassured fans that the overall health of the team was improving. “For my part, things are much better. I had the flu last Tuesday, I had a little fever; I was the first one. Everyone will be okay in a couple of days. The whole team is better apart from Coman, who is a little sicker,” Dembele said.
Meanwhile, the illness forced Coman to isolate himself in his room on his 28th birthday, though his condition is not believed to be severe. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate and Aurélien Tchouameni began the training session. However, they had to switch to individual exercises with the team’s physical trainers due to ongoing health concerns.
Will Mbappe be available for France in Euro 2024 opener?
This disruption comes just days before France‘s first match against Austria in Group D, scheduled for Monday at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf. France, alongside England and host nation Germany, are considered favorites to win the tournament.
Mbappe, set to captain his country for the first time in a major competition, is expected to play a pivotal role in France’s campaign. He would be drawing on his experience from their 2018 World Cup victory and their run to the final in Qatar in 2022.
The virus certainly affects Les Blues’ preparations. But the team’s resilience and depth will be crucial in overcoming this setback. Mbappe, despite his recent transfer and the current health challenge, remains central to France’s hopes.
His leadership and performance are significant as Les Bleus aim to capture the European Championship title, a feat they last achieved in 2000 when Deschamps was the team captain. The virus outbreak in the French camp introduced an element of uncertainty. The Euros commence on Friday in Germany.
With Mbappe and other key players under the weather, Deschamps will need to navigate these challenges to ensure his squad is ready for their opener against Austria. The health and recovery of these players will be critical as France progresses through the group stages, facing tough opponents like the Netherlands and Poland.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
