The France national football team faces Italy in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday with kickoff set for 20h45 local time (19h45 UTC) at the San Siro in Milan, Italy, as reported by TF1+.
Zidane Confirms Mbappé Absence
Kylian Mbappé will miss Thursday’s fixture after feeling minor discomfort during training, France coach Zinédine Zidane announced. “Kylian sera forfait demain.” “Il a ressenti une petite douleur,” Zidane said.
Italian coach Roberto Mancini offered a lighthearted take on the forward’s potential absence during his own press conference. “Je dirais à Mbappé de ne pas prendre de risques,” Mancini told reporters with a smile, as noted by Sports – Orange, adding that the Real Madrid player needs to stay healthy for club competitions.
Roster Shuffling Amid Injury Wave
The French squad arrived in Italy grappling with multiple absences. From Zidane’s initial selection, Pierre Kalulu, Marcus Thuram, and Aurélien Tchouaméni withdrew due to injuries, while Éli Junior Kroupi and Senny Mayulu joined the group as replacements from the U-21 setup. RMC Sport reported that Mayulu was called up from the Espoirs to bolster the midfield in Tchouaméni’s absence.
Defender Dayot Upamecano addressed the media, emphasizing depth within the squad. “Il y a beaucoup de blessés.” “D’ailleurs, je leur souhaite un beau rétablissement,” Upamecano told RMC Sport regarding the sidelined players. “Après, on est prêts.” “On s’attend à un gros match demain.”
France Seeks Nations League Qualification at San Siro
Thursday’s match at San Siro brings together the top two teams in Group 1, with France looking to secure qualification for the Nations League quarterfinals. TF1+ said that the venue holds strong memories for Les Bleus, who won the inaugural Nations League tournament there by defeating Spain 2-1.
Ticket sales for the fixture reached 70,000 spectators, according to RMC Sport reporting from Milan. The match will be broadcast exclusively on TF1 and TF1+, with commentary from Grégoire Margotton and Bixente Lizarazu.
Next Fixtures
Following Thursday’s encounter in Milan, France will travel to face Turkey at the Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole on Sunday, November 15, 2026, closing out the group stage.
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