Da Cunha defends Mbappé ahead of France-Turkey: "Super important for us"

Lucas Da Cunha defended Kylian Mbappé at a press conference as the France captain finds himself at the centre of several controversies ahead of Sunday evening’s match against Turkey.

The Como midfielder sought to dispel doubts surrounding Mbappé, who missed Thursday’s match against Italy and whose relationship with coach Zinédine Zidane has been the subject of persistent rumours. “Kylian is with us, he is in form. He is available like everyone else. We feel him with us. We are all confident, nobody has a problem, we are all together and ready to face this match,” Da Cunha said.

The Como player also stressed the central role of the Real Madrid striker within the France squad, both on and off the pitch. “He always has a very important role in this group, whether on the pitch or off it. He is super important for us, for the team. He has great hunger and he will be ready to help us as he does every time.”

Zidane himself reacted earlier in the day to the talk circulating around his relationship with Mbappé, speaking forcefully at a press conference. The striker, who is expected to start Sunday evening, is therefore awaited to make an impact in the match after his absence against the Azzurri.