France head coach Didier Deschamps was left stunned after seeing Kylian Mbappe included in Real Madrid’s weekend squad just a day after refusing to select him for national team duty, according to reports.
Mbappe is captain of the France national team and was the shock name missing when Les Bleus head coach Deschamps picked his squad for upcoming UEFA Nations League clashes.
The 25-year-old is the focal point of France’s attacks and the team have previously struggled in his absence, but will have to do so again when they take on Israel and neighbouring Belgium.
A recent thigh injury kept him out of Madrid’s previous 1-1 draw against derby rivals Atletico last weekend and it was also expected to keep Mbappe sidelined for a longer period of time.
However, the striker made a quick recovery and came off the bench in Madrid’s shock midweek Champions League defeat against Lille – with his younger brother leading the French team’s celebrations.
Kylian Mbappe has been selected to join Real Madrid’s weekend squad to face Villarreal
France head coach Didier Deschamps left Mbappe out of his latest national team selection
Mbape has been recovering from a thigh injury but Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that he was fit to play
He has now been named in Madrid’s squad to face Villarreal on Saturday evening, despite Deschamps not selecting him so he could take longer to recover from his injury.
The move has caught French football representatives by surprise with Deschamps not made previously aware that Mbappe was going to feature, as reported by L’Equipe.
The French media outlet have even made Mbappe’s selection the cover of their day’s print edition as concerns grow over his ability to play for Madrid but not France.
Deschamps previously explained his decision not to pick the superstar because he doesn’t want to take unnecessary risks and would rather leave his star player at home to recover with bigger matches waiting ahead.
‘I had an exchange with Kylian. He has a problem which is not serious,’ Deschamps previously told reporters in Paris.
‘I am not going to take risks, which is why he is not in the squad,’ he added.
Mbappe has been training with his Madrid team-mates as usual ahead of the weekend
Deschamps had wanted Mbappe to use his time away from the national team to recover from injury
However, Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Deschamps and France’s medical team were told of Mbappe’s playing condition by the club’s medical staff.
‘Deschamps has decided not to call him up,’ said Ancelotti when explaining his squad for the weekend.
‘Mbappe spoke with his selector and I also know that the club’s medical staff spoke with the medical staff of the French selection. So they spoke and decided to make this decision,’ he added.
It is yet to be seen what role Mbappe will play against Villarreal with it expected that he will start the LaLiga clash on the bench.
