France attacker Kylian Mbappe has seemingly emerged unscathed from an injury scare as Les Bleus prepare to tackle Austria in their Euro 2024 Group D opener in Dusseldorf on Monday. The Real Madrid star suffered a knee injury in the recent friendly win over Luxembourg but is back on the practice field and set to start on the left at the Merkur Spiel-Arena.
Kingsley Coman is also expected to play despite a midweek cold, while Aurelien Tchouameni will be sidelined longer due to a foot injury. Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot is anticipated to partner with the returning N’Golo Kante, whose impressive form at Al-Ittihad earned him a surprising call-up for the tournament.
Antoine Griezmann, a mainstay in France’s midfield, will operate in the advanced role, supporting an attacking lineup that includes Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Marcus Thuram, with all-time top scorer Olivier Giroud waiting for his chance from the bench. Theo Hernandez will handle the left-back position, while Jules Kounde takes on the right-back duties.
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In a defensive switch, coach Didier Deschamps has decided to start Arsenal’s William Saliba alongside Dayot Upamecano, relegating Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate to the bench. This setup aims to provide a solid foundation in front of goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
France’s possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Thuram
