Didier Deschamps reveals a list of the Blues without Mbappé to face Israel and Belgium

The captain of the Blues is absent from Didier Deschamps' list. MAXPPP – Sébastien Muylaert

Already deprived of Antoine Griezmann who recently retired, the French team will play its next two matches without its star Kylian Mbappé, back from injury but rested and absent from the list given Thursday by Didier Deschamps.

The Blues will have neither their captain nor their vice-captain against Israel and Belgium in the Nations League, on October 10 and 14. "I'm not here to take risks", explained the coach to justify the absence of "Kyky", who nevertheless played thirty minutes – and lost – with Real Madrid in Lille (1-0), Wednesday evening.

Mbappé is injured in the left thigh, "a problem not serious but requiring care to be able to recover well", explained "DD". His absence could spare Mbappé as much physically as Real diplomatically, the coach having already said that the Nations League matches were not as important to him as qualifications for the World Cup.

But Deschamps has "not the slightest doubt about the involvement of Kylian", who had seemed more distant than usual in Blue, in September. There was a lot of talk about the absentees during the press conference to present the list, notably Griezmann who hung up his Blue jersey after 137 matches, 44 goals and one World Cup (2018).

"A mature reflection"

“This is not a decision taken by Antoine on a whim, but after mature and thorough reflection”, said Deschamps. The technician mentioned "physical but also psychological fatigue", the "priorities that are not the same at 33 and a half", and confided that he had not tried to retain the one who was, he recalled, his "favorite".

We will have to play "differently, it is not possible to replace him position by position, that is for sure", commented Deschamps. “He had such a great influence through his technique and his volume of play, his ability to repeat efforts… We don't necessarily have to change the system, but in the register where he was, don't look for the equivalent", with a player “who does things differently".

He didn't try to hold him back, Griezmann “had made his decision. Otherwise he would be there”, assured “Dédé”. “All the same, it's funny”, he concluded on the subject. Like N’Golo Kanté, captain during the victory against Belgium (2-0) in September, is not there either, affected in the adductors according to Deschamps, who will be able to wear the armband for the Blues ?

Return of Nkunku, no yet Rabiot

"With the absences of Kylian and Antoine, that leaves room", admitted Deschamps, who wants to keep the news for the future armband wearer, in Budapest against Israel. Lacking experience, Deschamps did not want to "rush" the return of Adrien Rabiot, who only played the last half hour of Strasbourg-Marseille (1-0) this season.

“I've spoken with him several times, he still needs time”. Before this half-hour against Strasbourg, “his last match was on July 9 " and the Euro semi-final lost against Spain (2-1). "It's wiser for him to have a few more weeks to perfect his condition. If all goes well he will be available for November", he stressed.

The coach also did not recall Benjamin Pavard, who was already absent in September. He preferred to call up Wesley Fofana again, who had to withdraw at the last moment last month.

Another Chelsea player returns, and from further back: Christopher Nkunku numerically replaces Mbappé in the list of attackers. He hasn't played for France since the France-Greece (1-0) in June 2023, but Deschamps found him “full of energy”.

Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, brilliant against Real, is not yet in the game. “He's getting closer and closer. I didn't need yesterday's match to know that Lucas has great potential. He'll come at some point or another”.