France and Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy is reportedly suffering from discomfort ahead of Les Bleus’ Euro 2024 semi-final showdown with Spain on Tuesday.
France manager Didier Deschamps has reportedly been handed one fitness boost and one untimely new injury concern ahead of Les Bleus’ Euro 2024 semi-final showdown against Spain on Tuesday night.
The 2018 World Cup winners arrive at the Allianz Arena in Munich fighting for the right to meet England or Spain in the Berlin showpiece match on July 14, as they bid to earn their third Euros crown in the men’s game.
Deschamps has many a predicament to solve for the showdown with La Roja, perhaps none more so than France’s toothlessness in attack, which has seen Les Bleus fail to score a goal from open play through one of their own players.
So far, France have struck just three times at Euro 2024 – own goals from Jan Vertonghen and Maximilian Wober and a Kylian Mbappe penalty, but the masked latter has been a shadow of his usual self since suffering a broken nose in the opening match with Austria.
None of Mbappe’s fellow attackers have been cutting the mustard either, going scoreless in 120 minutes against Portugal in the quarter-final before winning on penalties, and a change in attack for that encounter saw Randal Kolo Muani replace Marcus Thuram.
The latter was brought on for the extra-time period against Portugal only to hurt his hamstring, but according to Futbolfantasy, he was able to train as normal on Sunday and is looking likely to be available for the semi-final.
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Ferland Mendy ‘suffering from discomfort’ before semi-final
Deschamps must therefore make a key decision over who partners Mbappe in the final third in Munich, but he may have to do without one of his full-backs in Ferland Mendy.
The Real Madrid defender has been plagued by fitness problems for a number of years and reportedly felt ‘discomfort’ during a training session with the other out-of-favour players.
The left-back’s problem has been described as minor, and he was only absent from Sunday’s session as a precautionary measure, but there is virtually no chance of him starting at the Allianz Arena.
AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez has cemented his position as Deschamps’s first-choice pick on that side and scored the winning penalty in the Portugal shootout, helping to avenge France’s loss to the Selecao in the 2016 final.
While France should have most of their big-hitters available for the semi-final, Spain must cope without suspended key defenders Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand, who should be replaced by Jesus Navas and Nacho Fernandez respectively.
Meanwhile, Pedri‘s tournament is over due to the knee injury he suffered against Germany, but it is unclear whether Dani Olmo or quarter-final match-winner Mikel Merino will step in for him.
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