France boss Zidane keeps Mbappe in camp despite Real Madrid return plan

Kylian Mbappe will remain with France after manager Zinedine Zidane decided not to release him to Real Madrid, despite the forward missing training with a hamstring problem.

Mbappe dominated media coverage on the eve of France’s Nations League meeting with Italy, after the French Football Federation confirmed he would not take part in the session.

Initial reports said the Real Madrid forward was receiving treatment before details emerged of a hamstring strain. It was later confirmed that France’s number 10 would miss Thursday’s match, although he would stay with the squad ahead of Sunday’s game against Turkey.

The decision has added to reports of tension between Mbappe and Zidane, who is in charge of France for the first time. French newspaper L’Equipe reported that the relationship between the national captain and his new manager may not be as smooth as it had appeared.

Zidane said Mbappe’s absence was a precaution and insisted the problem was minor.

“Yes, Kylian will not be available tomorrow. He felt some pain and we will not take any risks,” he said. “It is unfortunate to lose players, but that is part of the game. I hope it is nothing serious and that he returns on Sunday. For Kylian, it is just a slight discomfort and he should be able to play on Sunday.”

He added: “I think he is in good spirits; the fact that he has stayed with us is proof of that. He is not happy because he wanted to play tomorrow. When we feel that something is wrong, we do not take risks. The season is long, and that is what I do when there is a minor problem.”

Mbappe expected to return to Madrid

Spanish journalist Marcos Benito said on the El Chiringuito programme that Mbappe had also considered leaving the France camp, despite ultimately remaining with the squad.

Asked by presenter Josep Pedrerol why he was surprised the player had not returned to Madrid, Benito said Mbappe had thought about doing so, as Aurelien Tchouameni had done.

“He thought that too,” Benito said, laughing. “He is worried. He had an agreement with Real Madrid’s medical staff that he would return to Spain at the slightest physical problem.”

Benito said Mbappe’s private plane had been ready in Paris to take him back to Madrid. However, Zidane chose to retain the forward so he could monitor his condition before Sunday’s match against Turkey.

“The surprise was seeing Zidane keep him despite the injury to follow his situation before Sunday’s match,” he said. “He will have to wait, because in the end he travelled to Milan with the rest of the team. All of this is creating tension in their relationship.”

The reports of friction followed Zidane’s first France camp, when he used Mbappe on the left wing and selected Ousmane Dembele as the central striker. That decision was interpreted as a change to Mbappe’s role in the attack, particularly because he has recently preferred playing as a centre-forward.

Zidane had hoped to use Mbappe in France’s important Nations League fixtures against Italy and Turkey, but the hamstring issue has ruled him out of the Italy match and left his participation against Turkey uncertain.