Saint-Denis (AFP)
Arrived injured in the France team, Kylian Mbappé applies for the reception without a stake in Sweden on Tuesday (8:45 p.m.), which risks calling on Paris SG, eager to preserve his star before a high-flying sequence in Ligue 1 and Ligue des champions.
"Kylian is doing well, he was not missing much for him to be there" in Lisbon on Saturday, Didier Deschamps told TF1 on Sunday, the day after the 1-0 victory against Portugal.
For the coach, the striker "will be available for Tuesday if all goes well" and besides, he was careful to clarify, "he insists".
The 21-year-old world champion has not been spoiled since the start of the season, between his contamination with the new coronavirus in September and his muscle injury to a thigh, two months later.
In the meantime, however, PSG's arrow continued to prick opposing defenses.
In club, he accumulated seven goals (including two penalties) and four assists in six league matches.
In the French team, his ratio reached three goals and an assist in four games.
Difficult in these conditions to deprive oneself of such a gem for Deschamps as for Thomas Tuchel.
- Deschamps "protects the players" -
The Parisian coach, deprived of Mbappé in Leipzig (2-1 defeat) then against Rennes (3-0 victory) before the international window, would have preferred that the former Monegasque stay warm to treat this "very small" injury, but located "in a risk zone" according to the German.
"If boys are injured I always prefer that they don't play," but national teams have "the right" to call their internationals and the club "trust" them to "take good care" them, Tuchel had underlined after the summons of the Frenchman.
In response, Deschamps had been cautious in the face of the media, rehashing his wish to spare his young world champion.
"It is in the hands of the medical staff who have already proven their level of competence so we do that in complete safety, in all serenity. There is no risk to take for anyone", he said to the first day of the rally.
And the boss of the Blues to bury any rumor concerning a quarrel with the PSG: "I know that you are curious, some of you announce things completely wrong".
Deschamps declined to say whether he had "spoken to X or Y", but "there are obviously exchanges" with the club, the common objective being to "protect the players".
- Flowers for Seleçao -
Against Sweden on Tuesday, Mbappé could find the competition and some sensations, he who has not kicked the ball in an official match since the large Parisian victory on October 31 in Nantes (3-0), to which he had largely contributed with a goal and an assist.
PSG will surely watch with a little feverishness the performance of its striker, three days before a trip to Monaco on Friday in Ligue 1 and, above all, a week before the decisive reception of Leipzig in the Champions League, in a group stage where the current vice-champions of Europe are poorly engaged (only 3 points in three matches).
Last week, the capital club early recovered its two other international injured parties: Neymar (adductors), called up with Brazil but finally forfeit, and Moise Kean (knee), also released by Italy in internship course.
The Brazilian medical staff "did not wish to take the slightest risk" with his N.10, "it is a decision that honors the trust and collaboration between the staff of Paris Saint-Germain and those of the Seleçao" , greeted the Parisian training Friday in a statement.
Do Deschamps and his team feel targeted?
In any case, the text looks like a nice slipped tackle.
© 2020 AFP