Aurélien Tchouaméni exuded confidence in Kylian Mbappé’s preparedness to make a substantial impact if selected to play against Poland, subsequent to the France captain’s resurgence with two goals in a closed-door match on Saturday. France’s advancement to the last 16 hinges on their performance in the upcoming fixture against Poland, with the potential of clinching the top spot in Group D, contingent on the outcome of the Netherlands versus Austria game.
Despite being relegated to the bench in France’s 0-0 stalemate with the Netherlands, Mbappé delivered an impressive showing less than 24 hours later in a 60-minute encounter, wherein he notched two goals and provided two assists. The exhibition match involved under-21 players from Paderborn and took place at France’s tournament base.
Jonathan Clauss, the France and Marseille defender, observed, “You know Kylian. He played well, he is getting used to his mask and that was the point of playing in that game. He scored and delivered some assists. Great Kylian, just like normal.”
Mbappé, who sustained a broken nose during France’s triumph against Austria, donned a custom-made black mask tailored for this summer’s European Championship. Although he has trained in a tricolour mask adorned with his initials and the France crest, he is prohibited from wearing it in competitive matches due to Uefa regulations stipulating that the mask “must be a single colour and free of team and manufacturer identification.”
Following a light training session on Sunday, France will further their preparations with a training session at their base on Monday morning. Tchouaméni stated, “Everybody knows that he wants to play the next game, it’s not a surprise for anyone,” regarding Mbappé’s eagerness to return to the pitch. He also addressed Mbappé’s acclimation to the mask, expressing the collective preference for him to play without it, but acknowledging the lack of alternatives. Tchouaméni affirmed, “We know that he’ll be ready. Nothing’s changed. We know he will bring a lot to the match if he plays.”
Furthermore, Tchouaméni, who recently secured the Champions League title with Real Madrid, commended his midfield compatriot N’Golo Kanté, highlighting his exceptional performance despite his move to the Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad last year. Tchouaméni remarked, “We can see that playing in Saudi Arabia hasn’t had an adverse effect on his performances. He is playing at a very high level and it is great to play alongside him.”
As France braces for their upcoming encounter against Poland, the team remains optimistic about Mbappé’s readiness to make a significant impact, despite the obstacles presented by his recent injury.