Mark van Bommel, the head coach of Belgium, confirmed that Italy's 3-1 win over France last Thursday was not a surprise to him, pointing to the possibility that the French national team underestimated the abilities of coach Roberto Mancini's side, which contributed to its defeat.
The defeat against Italy was not just a passing stumble in the French national team's calculations, but exposed numerous gaps that have returned doubts to Zinedine Zidane's calculations ahead of the decisive clash against Turkey. Between the return of Kylian Mbappé, the absence of Dayot Upamecano, and the decline in the performance of some key players, the French coach is preparing to rearrange his cards, with the possibility of making wide-ranging changes to the starting line-up in search of a strong reaction that restores prestige to "Les Bleus".
Although the French national team went into their meeting with Italy in the fifth round of the group stage of the UEFA Nations League with the ambition of securing top spot in Group One, they now find themselves in a position that could eliminate them from the continental tournament.
Zinedine Zidane has shielded Malo Gusto from heavy criticism following a difficult display in France's defeat to Italy. The Chelsea defender conceded a penalty in Milan, but his international manager refused to single him out during a frustrating Nations League setback.
France go into their decisive test against Turkey in the UEFA Nations League, amid complex calculations that relate not only to securing a quarter-final qualification spot, but also to clinching top place in the group, which Zinedine Zidane places at the top of his priorities. While the coach has received reassuring news regarding Kylian Mbappé's fitness, uncertainty still surrounds the situation of Désiré Doué, who suffered a worrying injury during the recent clash with Italy.
Chertanovo Moscow
