EURO 2024: Massive blow for France as Olivier Giroud misses training following knock against Austria

Ankit Kunwar June 19, 2024June 23, 2024 European Championship, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud

It seems like nothing is going as per plans for Didier Deschamps. The French head coach has been under massive criticism for his team’s performance against Austria in their Euro 2024 opener. Despite salvaging a 1-0 win, the team lacked the cutting edge in the final third. Things could get tougher for Les Blues come Saturday as they prepare to take on the Netherlands in their second fixture.

The French team is suffering from a string of injuries with multiple top names said to be in doubt for the game against the Dutch side. Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Olivier Giroud were amongst players who were reported to be injured. While both Kylian and Griezmann have been cleared for the upcoming game, the same cannot be said about Olivier Giroud.

According to reports from RMC Sports, the veteran was absent from the team’s training session this Monday. Giroud reportedly took a blow to his abductor and had to sit out the training session because of fitness problems. However, the team management is confident the player will return to training this Wednesday ahead of the game against the Netherlands.

Big challenge for France heading into Netherlands clash

Kylian Mbappe and his men will have an enormous challenge on their hands as they take on Virgil van Dijk’s Netherlands in their second group-stage fixture. The winner of the contest is likely to finish at the top of the table and as such, both teams will be eager to walk out with the three points at the sound of the final whistle. However, considering the display France put up against Austria, they could be in for a rude awakening.

The Dutch side is currently at the top of the standings with a 2-1 win over Poland. Netherlands’ defense was rock solid for most of the contest and it could be a massive challenge for France, if they do not step up their game. Les Blues fans will expect a better performance from their skipper who walked off the field without a single goal contribution in their previous encounter.