Zinedine Zidane explains first France defeat after Italy collapse at San Siro as absent Kylian Mbappe leaves glaring void

France manager Zinedine Zidane has offered a frank assessment of his side's defensive shortcomings following their 3-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to Italy on Thursday night. Despite taking an early lead at San Siro, the Bleus were overwhelmed in the second half as the Azzurri surged back to claim all three points.

Zidane experienced his first taste of defeat as France head coach during a difficult evening at San Siro. Michael Olise had initially given the visitors a bright start by opening the scoring, but France’s momentum stalled as Italy grew in confidence and aggression. The Bleus were unfortunate not to extend their lead, hitting the woodwork twice before the hour mark, but they struggled to rediscover their rhythm once Luciano Spalletti’s men seized control of the contest.

The result brings an end to Zidane's unbeaten start to life in the international dugout, which had previously yielded three victories and a draw. Speaking after the final whistle, the legendary former midfielder did not hide his disappointment. "Necessarily (frustrated) because there were good things, especially in the first half. Afterwards, we did less good things. Especially in the duels and in the 1v1s, we were a little less good. This is part of the learning process, things where we must improve, that's for sure," the coach said as quoted by Foot Mercato.

The second half proved to be the undoing of Les Bleus, as the defensive unit appeared increasingly exposed under Italian pressure. Zidane pointed out that the team failed to maintain their shape once they fell behind, leading to a fragmented performance that allowed the hosts to dictate the tempo of the game at will.

"The start of the second half was also good. It is true that when we were in difficulty, we did not know how to react and stay within the framework of the game plan. We did it in the first, and then when they took the advantage, we scattered a bit, also on the defensive level," Zidane explained.

One of the biggest talking points surrounding the defeat was the absence of Kylian Mbappe, whose goal-scoring prowess was sorely missed as the team chased the game. The Real Madrid superstar is expected to be integrated back into the starting line-up for the upcoming clash in Bordeaux to provide the clinical edge that was absent in Milan.

Zidane suggested that the result did not necessarily reflect the balance of play throughout the entire ninety minutes. "What I told them is that it was not an entirely deserved defeat. We are going to analyze that when we are in Bordeaux, we will come back to this one. Sincerely, you just have to tell yourself to rest and we will refocus on the last match we have left," he concluded, while noting of Mbappe's return, "We will see tomorrow, but that is the idea."

Despite the setback at such a high-profile venue, Zidane is determined not to let panic set in. He believes the experience will serve as a vital lesson for a group that is still adapting to his methods. With a fixture against bottom-placed Turkey in Bordeaux on the horizon, the opportunity to reclaim the top spot in the group remains within reach if results elsewhere go their way.

"No, we are not worried, it is part of football. It is also about having moments like this to see how we will react. It is better to have them now. We are still there, in the race. Tonight, it is not a total failure. We did not know how to react in complicated moments, there is a focus for improvement. Rayan is right, I told them, we must not panic, we have chances, possession, but we were less good defensively. It became more fragile as the match went on," the manager stated.