Deschamps Hopes for Mbappe Magic as France Face Croatia in Nations League Quarter-Final

France coach Didier Deschamps is counting on Kylian Mbappe to lead the team to victory against Croatia in the Nations League quarter-final return leg. Mbappe, who has returned to the squad after a brief absence, will be crucial in France's bid to overturn a 2-0 deficit and reach the semi-finals.

France manager Didier Deschamps has identified areas for improvement in his team's midfield ahead of their Nations League quarter-final return leg against Croatia on Sunday. Deschamps emphasized the need for better passing and creativity, particularly in midfield. “The midfield can be more creative, in absolute terms. But what we lacked above all was technical accuracy. Starting with our passing,” Deschamps told reporters on Saturday.

Deschamps acknowledged that Croatia's strong performance in the first leg, which ended in a 2-0 victory for the visitors, was a testament to their quality as a team. “I'm not going to say who will start tomorrow and how. But it's a question of balance, which we didn't have in the first leg... They were semi-finalists at the last World Cup and the last Nations League. They're a very good team.”

Deschamps also expressed admiration for Croatia's ability to maintain a high level of performance despite having an older squad. “Some may say that they have older players, but that doesn't stop them from performing very well. I've even congratulated (Zlatko) Dalic, my counterpart, because since he took over, he's kept this team at the highest level.”

The stakes are high for France as they face Croatia in the return leg of their Nations League quarter-final on Sunday. The winners will advance to the semi-finals in June, where they will face either defending champions Spain or the Netherlands. However, France's progression to the last four is far from guaranteed, and they will need their star player, Kylian Mbappe, to be at the top of his game.

Mbappe, who has 87 caps for France, has returned to the squad for the first time since September. The 26-year-old was left out of the team's Nations League fixtures in October and November following his move to Real Madrid in July. Although Mbappe failed to make a significant impact in the first leg against Croatia, coach Didier Deschamps was pleased with his effort. “Kylian is very good, he's on form. He wasn't very effective. But I found him involved on the pitch, available, making a lot of effort. He had a magnificent save from the Croatian keeper. He's involved as captain and he's taking on his role.”

Deschamps also provided an update on the fitness of Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who is struggling with a calf injury. Unfortunately for France, Rabiot is unlikely to feature in Sunday's crucial match against Croatia.