France defender Dayot Upamecano has departed the national team training camp for personal reasons ahead of Sunday’s Nations League match against Turkey, Le Figaro reported late Thursday.
The Bayern Munich center-back, who started in the 3-1 loss to Italy in Milan on Thursday, will return to Germany immediately. The French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed the departure but provided no further details regarding the nature of the issue facing the 28-year-old international, who has earned 49 caps for Les Bleus.
Zinédine Zidane’s squad now faces a defensive adjustment for the final Group A1 fixture in Bordeaux. While the manager has not announced a replacement for Upamecano, he retains three central defensive options in the squad: Jérémy Jacquet, Ibrahima Konaté, and Leny Yoro, according to Le Figaro.
The match holds significant weight for France’s progression in the tournament. Following the defeat to Italy, the team has yet to mathematically secure its place in the quarter-finals. France currently sits second in the group with 10 points, level with Italy but trailing on goal difference, according to RMC Sport.
Qualification stakes in Bordeaux
France will qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals if they avoid defeat against Turkey at the Matmut Atlantique stadium. Even a loss could be sufficient to advance, provided that Belgium fails to beat Italy in the simultaneous fixture in Brussels, RMC Sport reported.
Zidane addressed the team’s standing following the Milan result. “We wanted to win tonight to get to safety,” Zidane said. “It will be necessary to win our last match. But even if we had won tonight, we would still have had to win our last match.”
Preparation at Le Pian-Médoc
The squad is currently stationed at the Cabot Bordeaux MGallery Collection in Le Pian-Médoc, approximately 20 kilometers from Bordeaux, Le Bonbon reported. The team, which arrived in the region between November 12 and 13, is utilizing the facility’s training amenities to prepare for the final group stage challenge.
Local authorities have implemented a high-security perimeter around the resort to protect the players. “They will be isolated and protected,” Virginie Garnier, the mayor of Le Pian-Médoc, told Actu Bordeaux. The team is scheduled to hold closed-door training sessions at the stadium leading up to the weekend.
Return of Kylian Mbappé
The French side expects to regain captain Kylian Mbappé for Sunday’s encounter. Mbappé was absent from the team sheet during the loss to Italy, but Zidane confirmed his planned return to the lineup for the final match, according to RMC Sport.
France and Turkey are scheduled to play on November 15, 2026, at 20:45 local time.
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