France made to work for win

France emerged victorious in their Euro 2024 opener against Austria (1-0), but the win came at a cost. Star player Kylian Mbappe, instrumental in the winning goal, suffered a facial injury during the match.

Mbappe’s brilliance created the first-half goal, but he later missed a golden opportunity. In the closing moments, a clash with Austria’s Kevin Danso left Mbappe with a potentially broken nose.

Chaos erupted as Mbappe initially tried to play on with a bloody face. A yellow card and a substitution later, he exited the field, raising concerns about his participation in upcoming matches.

France faces a tight turnaround with their next game against the Netherlands in just three days. Mbappe’s availability for that match, and the final group-stage clash against Poland, hangs in the balance due to potential concussion protocols.

Asked if Mbappe’s nose was broken, Deschamps replied: “Probably, yes. “His nose is not good at all. We’ll look at it,” he added. 

The France head coach said, “It’s obviously the black mark against the evening. Even if it’s only a nose, it’s very annoying for us.”