Kylian Mbappé’s availability for France in their upcoming match against Poland in the European Championship remains uncertain as the star forward sustained a broken nose in their opening game against Austria. Despite coach Didier Deschamps sounding optimistic about Mbappé playing while wearing a face mask, the player did not feature in the draw against the Netherlands. However, Mbappé has since participated in a behind-closed-doors match, raising hopes for his return.
France has already done enough to secure a spot in the knockout stage, at least as one of the four best third-place finishers. They are currently tied on four points with the Netherlands, with Austria a point behind. On the other hand, Poland has been eliminated from the tournament after losing their first two games to the Netherlands and Austria.
Poland’s captain, Robert Lewandowski, who missed the game against the Dutch due to a thigh injury, could potentially play in what might be his last European Championship match as he turns 36 in August. However, the team’s coach, Michal Probierz, has announced changes in the goalkeeper position for the final group match.
In terms of team news, much depends on Mbappé’s availability for France, with Antoine Griezmann playing further forward in his absence. N’Golo Kante has been a standout player for France in Euro 2024, winning two player-of-the-match awards. However, France has only scored one goal so far, which was an own-goal by an Austria defender.
France has a strong track record in the group stage of the European Championship under coach Didier Deschamps, having not lost any of their eight group games. Meanwhile, Poland has struggled to advance from the group stage in recent European Championships, failing to do so in four of their last five appearances. Robert Lewandowski, with 82 goals in 151 appearances for Poland, remains a key player for the team.
In terms of what the players and coaches are saying, Kante is hopeful that having Mbappé available will help France in scoring goals and winning the game against Poland. On the other hand, Probierz is focused on preparing his team for future competitions, including the UEFA Nations League in the autumn. With Mbappé’s availability still uncertain, the match between France and Poland promises to be an intriguing encounter with potential implications for both teams’ future in the tournament.
