Italy beat France 3-1 in the Nations League as Pio Esposito scored two goals on Thursday, a result that deepens the injury crisis for a French side already depleted before the match. The French team said on Friday that Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano was allowed by coach Zinedine Zidane to return to Munich for a personal reason, after the 3-1 loss to Italy.
Why it matters
The defeat is the latest blow for France, which has been losing players to injury through the international break. Upamecano departure leaves the defence thinner still, and the coach now has to rebuild a back line that was already short of options. The personal reason for the departure has not been detailed, and the club and the national team have said only that he has returned to Munich.
Esposito was the difference on the night, scoring twice to settle a match that France needed to win. Italy took the game to the French defence from the start, and the 3-1 scoreline reflects a side that was sharper in both boxes. For France, the goals conceded will worry the coach as much as the injuries, because the defence looked open all night.
What happens next
The Nations League is a testing ground for the bigger tournaments ahead, and France will want to learn from the defeat rather than dwell on it. The squad still has the talent to compete, but the injury list is now the story, and the coach will need to find answers before the next round of fixtures.
For now, the result stands and the camp is thinner. Italy takes the points and the confidence, France takes the questions, and Upamecano return to Munich leaves one more gap to fill before the next match.
The Nations League is a testing ground for the bigger tournaments ahead, and France will want to learn from the defeat rather than dwell on it. The squad still has the talent to compete, but the injury list is now the story, and the coach will need to find answers before the next round of fixtures.
