The Euro 2024 has seen some unexpected moments until now; a few exciting and others, not so much. One of the tournament favorites France finished 2nd after Austria’s stunning performance against the Netherlands earned them the #1 in Group D. However, the team faced a huge scare after captain Kylian Mbappe injured his nose against Ralf Rangnick’s side in the opening game.

The team somehow managed to reach the round of 16 despite not winning the subsequent games. But the fans are currently concerned about whether the talisman will take the field against a formidable Belgian side. Hence let’s delve deeper into Mbappe’s availability in the next game.

More about the situation of Kylian Mbappe for the Round of 16 clash

Kylian Mbappe was forced to sit against the Netherlands due to an injury but made his comeback against Poland in the last group-stage game. The 25-year-old again proved clutch for his side, scoring the only goal through a penalty and marking his comeback. Hence, without many issues on the field despite some discomfort, Mbappe is expected to take the field against the world’s #3 side. In addition, reports also suggest that he could be back to his position of comfort as a left winger after playing in center against the Poles.

The upcoming Real Madrid star is playing with a mask for added protection against the wound. However, the situation around the equipment seems to be getting a bit complex now. Mbappe was initially forced to opt out of a mask with the theme of the French Flag, with UEFA allowing them only to be of a single color. However recent talks suggest that he is having a slight problem with peripheral vision while wearing it.

According to French manager, Didier Deschamps, a few days ago, wearing the mask feels like wearing 3D glasses and limits the angle a bit. While Mbappe was seen with a thinner one in practice sessions ahead of the knockout game, it isn’t sure if he would put it on in the round of 16. However, while the condition of the injury seems to be getting better, Belgium’s soccer fraternity was left in an awkward situation regarding Mbappe.

Belgium was forced to apologize for their experiment regarding Mbappe

Meanwhile, amidst Kylian Mbappe’s injury concerns, Belgium’s social media unit was left with regret for its video that kept Mbappe in an awkward situation. A clip in the video implied that Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana would kick Mbappe on the shin during the game. It was soon deleted with the Belgian media spokesperson subsequently claiming that it was intended to be humorous and not offensive. He further stated, “We would like to apologize to anyone we may have offended by this. This concludes the matter for us,” expressing regret.

Nevertheless, the clash between the two teams is expected to be a mouthwatering one. Belgium despite possessing players like Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne have found it difficult to penetrate through the opponent’s defense. And with France in a similar situation will Mbappe be the difference maker? Let us know in the comments.