Aurélien Tchouaméni will miss France's next two Nations League fixtures due to injury. The 26-year-old midfielder has been ruled out of the away match against Italy on Thursday and the home game versus Turkey on Sunday with a right adductor strain. This comes just before a key away fixture against Italy, scheduled for Saturday 12 November.
The Real Madrid player had been feeling discomfort since joining up with the squad at the Clairefontaine training centre. "He has been feeling this discomfort since his arrival at CNF Clairefontaine," Tchouaméni said. The French medical team decided to withdraw him to prevent any further damage. Tchouaméni, who has 50 caps and three goals, had only returned to the national team in September after recovering from a previous adductor issue.
His absence deprives manager Zinedine Zidane of a key midfield option at a key juncture. France, who top Group 1, can secure their place in the quarter-finals during this double-header. The team is on a three-match unbeaten run, with two wins and a draw, including a 4-1 victory over Belgium on 5 October. Olise had also scored in the 1-1 draw with Italy on 2 October. Kylian Mbappé remains the top scorer this season with ten goals.
Zidane will not call up a replacement, leaving the squad at 22 players. "There are two matches coming up, and it will be up to me to make my choices based on what I want to see," the manager stated. Internal solutions like Eduardo Camavinga or Youssouf Fofana are expected to fill the void. The next fixture is on Thursday at the San Siro in Milan.
Tchouaméni, who played the full 90 minutes for Real Madrid on Saturday, is expected to return to action in March. His injury adds to the existing absences of Pierre Kalulu and Marcus Thuram, for whom Saël Kumbedi and Eli Junior Kroupi were previously called up as replacements.
Background and full detail: RMC Sport
Zinédine Zidane confirmed on Wednesday that Kylian Mbappé is out for the match in Italy on Thursday. The manager said, "He will be out tomorrow, we will take zero risk." Mbappé, the top scorer in the campaign with ten goals, felt discomfort in his hamstrings. The staff called up Senny Mayulu as a replacement. France, unbeaten in their last three matches, faces Italy this Thursday.
