France face Turkey with Desire Doue doubt and Kylian Mbappe boost

France need only a draw against Turkey on Sunday to reach the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, but Zinedine Zidane is focused on securing top spot in Group A.

The France manager has received encouraging news over Kylian Mbappe’s fitness, although the availability of Desire Doue remains uncertain after the Paris Saint-Germain forward suffered a jaw injury against Italy.

Doue was hurt in the 69th minute of France’s 3-1 victory at San Siro after being struck by an elbow from Italy midfielder Davide Frattesi. The blow left him in pain and led to medical checks ahead of the meeting with Turkey.

French outlet Foot Mercato reported that Doue visited a dentist on Friday afternoon after one of his teeth was loosened by the impact.

The injury did not prevent him from taking part in the opening stages of France’s training session at Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux. However, his involvement against Turkey has not yet been confirmed.

Zidane and the medical staff will continue to assess Doue before making a final decision. France’s coaching team are unwilling to take unnecessary risks with the player’s health, particularly at an important stage of the competition.

Mbappe returns to group training

Mbappe provided a more positive update by returning to collective training after missing the Italy match with a hamstring injury.

The France captain completed the group section of the session, which lasted about 30 minutes, before the players who had started the previous day’s match continued with further work. His participation suggested that the Real Madrid forward is close to regaining full fitness.

Mbappe’s return is especially significant for Zidane because France began the camp with several absentees. Having their captain available again would provide a welcome boost before the decisive fixture.

The session also included a minute’s silence for the victims of the attacks of 13 November 2015, on the 11th anniversary of the events that shook France.

Zidane and Mbappe also met the families of two firefighters from the Gironde region who died during the summer fires, in a gesture away from the sporting focus of the camp.

France want more than qualification

A draw would be enough to take France into the quarter-finals, but it would not guarantee the result Zidane wants most: first place in the group.

Winning the group would mean facing one of the teams finishing second in another section rather than one of the group winners. Greece, England and Denmark are currently among the sides in contention for second place.

Top spot would also give France home advantage for the second leg of the quarter-final, which will be played over two matches. The quarter-finals are scheduled for March, while the semi-finals and final will take place in June as single-match ties.

With Doue’s fitness requiring caution and Mbappe’s return offering encouragement, France’s meeting with Turkey carries significance beyond qualification. A victory would secure a potentially important advantage on the route to the title.