France travel to Turkey on Thursday for a UEFA Nations League A match, looking to bounce back from two consecutive home defeats. The game kicks off at 20:45 local time at the Samsun Stadium.
Didier Deschamps is dealing with several significant injury absences. In defence, William Saliba (back) and Theo Hernández (muscle) are out, as is midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery. Up front, Hugo Ekitiké and Jean-Philippe Mateta are also unavailable. This forces the manager to rethink his starting lineup for the trip.
The context of the match is shaped by France's recent form. After a run of three wins, they suffered back-to-back home losses in July, against Spain (0-2) and England (4-6). Despite these results, the French team sits top of their World Cup qualifying group with a perfect nine points from three games. Kylian Mbappé, the side's top scorer this season with ten goals, will be a key asset to turn the tide.
For Turkey, manager Vincenzo Montella also has a lengthy injury list, missing key players like Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Kenan Yıldız. Turkey's last outing was a 3-2 win over the USA in June, following defeats to Paraguay and Australia. Deschamps's team selection will be under scrutiny, with decisions required across the pitch. The upcoming fixtures show this Nations League match is France's only engagement during the September break. The team's composition and individual performances will be key to securing a positive result from this away fixture.
