PARIS: France have again called up Michael Olise as they prepare for this month’s Nations League games against Israel and Belgium without Kylian Mbappe who has been struggling with injury.
The 22-year-old English-born midfielder won his first two caps against Italy and Belgium last month and in the absence of midfielder Antoine Griezmann, who announced his retirement from international football earlier this week, the Bayern Munich player was once more picked by Didier Deschamps.
Captain Mbappe, who picked up a muscle injury last month playing for Real Madrid in LaLiga, featured for 35 minutes in the club’s 1-0 Champions League loss at Lille on Wednesday, but the forward was not deemed fit enough for international duty.
“He has a problem that is not serious. I’m not here to take risks, which is why Kylian isn’t on the list,” Deschamps told a press conference.
Chelsea striker Christopher Nkunku was also called up 15 months after claiming his last cap in a 1-0 win against Greece.
France are second in Group A2 with three points from two games, three points behind Italy. They face Israel in Budapest on Oct. 10 and Belgium in Brussels four days later.
Kleindienst called up
Germany have handed Borussia Moenchengladbach forward Tim Kleindienst his first call-up for this month’s Nations League matches against Bosnia and Netherlands with starting striker Niclas Fuellkrug still injured.
The 29-year-old Kleindienst has been rewarded after his fine Bundesliga form last season as his 12 goals for Heidenheim helped them finish in a surprise eighth place.
Kleindienst has added another two league goals along with one assist since joining Gladbach this season.
West Ham United forward Fuellkrug, 31, has been nursing a foot injury for the past few weeks and has been out of action.
“Tim Kleindienst at Heidenheim performed well over an entire year and he has integrated himself well at his new club Borussia Moenchengladbach,” said Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann.
“He has earned this. The injury to Niclas Fuellkrug is a good opportunity to test Tim. He now has to prove himself.”
Germany travel to face Bosnia in Zenica on Oct. 11 before hosting Netherlands three days later.
The Germans are top of Group A3 on four points from two matches, ahead of the Dutch on goal difference. Bosnia and Hungary have one point each.
#####