Confronted with an injury crisis across his forward line, France manager Zinédine Zidane is set to deploy Désiré Doué as a central striker against Italy at San Siro on Thursday night, RMC Sport reported.
Les Bleus arrive in Milan for this fifth round of the Nations League holding the top spot in their group with ten points, three ahead of the Azzurri and four clear of Belgium, according to the Fédération Française de Football. A draw in Thursday’s 20:45 CET fixture will secure France a place in the quarter-finals before they travel to face Turkey in Bordeaux on Sunday.
Zidane’s squad selection has been severely tested by a wave of absences. Alongside long-standing injuries to Ousmane Dembélé, Estéban Lepaul, and Maghnes Akliouche, four additional players left the Clairefontaine training camp earlier in the week, franceinfo reported. The situation worsened on Wednesday when captain Kylian Mbappé suffered a left thigh discomfort during training.
“Il sera forfait demain, il a ressenti une petite douleur et on ne va prendre zéro risque,” Zinédine Zidane said during his Wednesday press conference. The coaching staff decided against taking any chances with the Real Madrid forward, who hopes to return for Sunday’s match against Turkey.
Michael Olise remains the sole regular starter retained in the frontline, joined on the left wing by Bradley Barcola while Paris Saint-Germain’s Désiré Doué steps into the central role, a position he has occasionally occupied under Luis Enrique, franceinfo noted.
RMC Sport outlines the probable starting line-up for Les Bleus: Mike Maignan in goal behind a defensive back four featuring Malo Gusto at right-back, Dayot Upamecano in central defense alongside either Ibrahima Konaté or Jérémy Jacquet, and Adrien Truffert at left-back. In midfield, Rayan Cherki is expected to partner alongside Lucas Da Cunha operating as the defensive sentinel, with Adrien Rabiot completing the central trio.
In the opposing camp, Italy coach Roberto Mancini offered a lighthearted reaction to France’s roster complications during his media session. “Qu’il ne prenne pas de risques pour le match de jeudi, parce qu’il a besoin de se reposer pour la Ligue des champions avec le Real ! Et si Michael Olise attrape froid dans la nuit, on prend !” Mancini told reporters, according to Sports – Orange.
Italy enters the contest needing points to secure their own progression, currently sitting second or battling alongside Belgium depending on concurrent results. Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge facing the Azzurri at a sold-out San Siro. “Au début, c’était presque inespéré d’être assuré de jouer la qualification lors de la dernière journée,” Calafiori told the press.
The previous encounter between the two sides in October ended in a 1-1 draw at the Stade de France, representing the only dropped points for Zidane’s side in the current campaign. Thursday’s match kicks off at 20:45 local time at the San Siro in Milan, with live broadcast coverage provided by TF1.
France plays Turkey on Sunday at the Stade de Bordeaux in their final group-stage fixture.
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