March 19, (THEWILL)- Didier Deschamps, the manager of the French national team, believes Kylian Mbappe’s reduced playing time at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in recent weeks could be beneficial for France ahead of the European Championship and Olympic Games.
The 55-year-old coach stated: “It’s important to be physically fresh for a major competition. In any case, all the players will arrive at the end of the season feeling a little tired. If that fatigue can be reduced a little (all the better).”
Mbappe, the France captain, has informed PSG of his intention to leave as a free agent at the end of the season. Since February 14, the 25-year-old striker has played the full 90 minutes in just three matches – a 2-1 UEFA Champions League win against Real Sociedad, a 3-1 French Cup victory over Nice, and a 6-2 league triumph against Montpellier on Sunday.
The reduced workload for Mbappe, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, could keep him fresh for the upcoming European Championship and Olympic Games. However, his participation in the Paris Olympics may be in jeopardy if he joins the Spanish giants, as Real Madrid have reportedly declined to release players for the Games.
“Real Madrid’s stance on the Olympic Games is a bit outdated,” Deschamps commented. “But businesspeople are the ones who decide. If it’s not on an official FIFA date, if they say no, the answer is no.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
