Zidane puts Mbappé to a difficult test: a gamble that could turn into a nightmare

The defeat to Italy was not merely a passing stumble at the start of Zinedine Zidane's journey with the French national team. It placed the new coach before an early test that allows little room for miscalculation. After the 3-1 loss at the San Siro, France are now required to beat Turkey to salvage their position in the UEFA Nations League, which has brought Kylian Mbappé's name back to the forefront, despite the doubts surrounding his physical condition. Between the team's need for its captain and fears of his injury recurring, Zidane finds himself facing a highly sensitive decision: does he gamble on his number one star, or search for another route to avoid an early disaster?

Zidane suffered his first real blow since taking charge of the French national team, losing 3-1 to Italy in a match that fell well short of the scenarios the Marseille-born coach had drawn up for the start of his new journey. Michael Olise produced a superb first-half goal, yet Les Bleus could not avoid defeat in a game that laid bare just how much Mbappé's absence from the front line hurt them.

Sunday's fixture against Turkey has become a decisive test for Zidane and his men. France must win and collect all three points to guarantee a place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League. The new coach no longer has much room for experiments, especially as any further stumble could turn his eagerly awaited start into an early crisis.

Mbappé's absence against Italy dominated the French press, particularly as the player is nursing a minor injury to his knee tendons, with the French Football Federation refusing to reveal clear details about his condition, according to the Spanish newspaper AS.

Ambiguity has shrouded the situation since the camp began. The federation issued no medical report specifying the nature or severity of the injury, nor did it clarify when the Real Madrid star would return to the pitch. Mbappé travelled with his team-mates to Italy, but Zidane confirmed on the eve of the match that he would not be available, offering nothing further.

After the defeat to Italy, Zidane sounded optimistic about regaining his captain for the Turkey fixture, insisting that the player's decision to stay in the camp reflected the technical staff's belief that the injury is not serious. "I hope so," the French coach said. "That is why he stayed with the team. I do not think his injury is serious. We will see him tomorrow when we are in Bordeaux, and the aim is for him to play."

Those comments reflect a clear desire to ready Mbappé for the fixture, especially as the team needs every attacking weapon to clear the obstacle of Turkey. But optimism over his return does not mean his physical condition will allow him to play a full match. The final decision rests with the medical staff's assessment.

Italy was not the first match Mbappé has missed through physical problems. It came as an extension of a run of absences that have dogged him recently. He has sat out four consecutive matches since being forced to leave the national team camp during Zidane's first international break, after a physical problem he suffered while scoring the opening goal against Turkey.

He also skipped collective training with his team-mates at the Clairefontaine centre on Wednesday, before the French federation announced he was not ready for the Italy fixture. The recurrence of this problem has raised fears over his ability to regain full fitness, especially as any rush could expose him to a fresh setback.

Zidane's calculations might have been different had the Italy fixture carried weight in the World Cup qualifiers. Instead, the coach chose not to risk Mbappé, keeping him out of the match while waiting for his condition to improve.

Despite his insistence that he would not gamble with his number one star, the player's decision not to return to Real Madrid and to remain in the national team camp reflects the technical and medical staff's confidence that they can get him ready before Sunday. Here the equation grows complicated. France need Mbappé at his best, but they cannot ignore the physical risks of playing him before his recovery is complete.

The Turkey fixture carries weight beyond Zidane's own reckoning. It is also tied to the fate of Les Bleus in the UEFA Nations League. Fail to collect all three points, and a Belgium win over Italy would send France crashing out of the race for the quarter-finals.

Such a scenario would deal a heavy blow to the start of Zidane, who took the job amid soaring ambitions to steer the national team back onto the right track, drawing on his experience, his leadership and his exceptional history with French football. Sunday's fixture is more than a match for points. It is an early test of his ability to handle crisis and pressure.

Beyond the technical and physical calculations, the relationship between Zidane and Mbappé forces itself into the picture, after speculation grew over whether the pair have reached a full understanding in recent weeks. The French press is watching the bond between coach and captain closely, especially amid talk of differences over the role the player performs on the pitch.

Mbappé's position stirred some of the fiercest debate, after Zidane deployed him on the left wing during his first match in charge. The coach saw the role as the best fit for his star's abilities, but the choice did not win the player over, as he prefers to operate in an attacking position closer to goal.

Announcing his squad last week, Zidane hinted that Mbappé would return to his favoured position, an attempt to silence the questions about his attacking role. Should he recover, the France captain is expected to start against Turkey, deployed through the middle rather than shunted out to the left wing once more.

The lack of clear signs of cooperation between coach and player during training sessions open to the media raised further questions, even if that alone cannot settle the nature of their relationship. One thing is certain. Both men need to reach a quick understanding, especially as the success of Zidane's project rests largely on his ability to get the best from his biggest stars.

Zidane does not look like a coach who buckles under pressure or lets outside noise shape his decisions, drawing on a long career as player and coach at the highest level. Yet he knows the Turkey fixture will be his first real test in a match that leaves no room for complicated calculations or wasted chances.

Mbappé at his best could prove decisive for France's ambitions, but playing him before his recovery is complete could turn the awaited solution into a bigger problem. Caught between the need to win and the fear of the injury returning, Zidane faces a difficult equation. The headline is simple: save France without sacrificing his number one star.