Football

France found its replacement for Nkunku

France found its replacement for Nkunku

Christoph Nkunku, after having a stunning the last couple of years playing for RB Leipzig, has been injured in training and will miss the World Cup.

Nkunku was the player of the season last year in Bundesliga, and this season continued his impressive form scoring 12 goals in 15 matches. He was injured in a collision with Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid.

France’s team touched down in Qatar on Wednesday where they will continue their training for the World Cup.

Nkunku is not the only high-profile name that is missing from the original 26-man squad released by the national team coach Didier Deschamps. Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante, and Prisnel Kimpembe are also injured, and won’t be able to help France defend its World Cup title in Qatar.

muani

Deschamps names Eintracht Frankfurt striker to replace Nkunku

France manager Didier Deschamps didn’t look very far to find Nkunku’s replacement, he went back to the Bundesliga and gave an invite to Randal Kolo Muani, a striker currently playing for Eintracht Frankfurt, last season’s Europa League winners.

Many were surprised that Muani hasn’t been invited to the France team in the first place. This season he played 14 Bundesliga games scoring five goals with impressive ten assists on his record. The 23-year-old is playing his first season abroad after starting in France for Nantes youth teams.

Muani debuted for France in September playing as a reserve against Austria and Denmark during the Nations League final matches. France failed to reach the Final Four of the competition.

The forward position in France is stocked with talent even without the presence of Christoph Nkunku. Kylian Mbappe is the most important player alongside Karim Benzema. Curiously, Benzema was also injured recently missing the last few games for Real Madrid, but fortunately for France, he will play in the tournament. Veterans Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud joined Marcus Thuram, Randal Kolo Muani, Kingsley Coman, and Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele.

Deschamps certainly has options up front and, even though he is disappointed that Nkunku won’t be able to play, he will have plenty of firepower. However, there are concerns regarding the midfield part of the team. Without Pogba and Kante, he will have to find the right balance between younger players like Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, alongside Youssouf Fofana, and some with more experience like Adrien Rabiot. Marseille’s duo Matteo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout complete the midfield lineup.

France hasn’t been performing well the last few months, they lost to Croatia and Denmark in the aforementioned Nations League group stage and will be playing in Qatar without any friendly games before their first match at the World Cup against Australia on November 22nd.

The rest of the group includes Tunisia, and once again Denmark. There is potentially a mouthwatering clash in the first playoff round against Argentina which is in the group that collides with the one where France will play their matches.

Didier Deschamps will move quickly with training sessions to have the best possible preparation for the upcoming games hoping that there won’t be any new problems when it comes to availability issues for his team.


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