The press release came like a blow: Kylian Mbappé, double scorer and man of the match against Ukraine, is exempt from the trip to Azerbaijan. The official reason? Persistent inflammation in the ankle. A justification that convinced almost no one. In a football where every gesture is scrutinized, this package for a match without accounting issues immediately sparked a controversy. The word “privilege” was bandied about, notably on RMC where Jérôme Rothen denounced “preferential treatment” which could create tensions in the locker room. The question is on everyone’s lips: is the captain of the Blues above the group? The opinion of a legend like Bixente Lizarazu was therefore eagerly awaited.
Lizarazu justifies the package and supports the management of Deschamps
And the answer, delivered in his column for The Teamis without the slightest ambiguity. Far from crying scandal, Bixente Lizarazu defends body and soul Didier Deschamps’ decision.
“I understand perfectly,” he says, brushing aside any accusation of favoritism. For the 98 world champion, it is not a privilege, but a “healthy, individualized and intelligent management”. He believes that the coach responds to the problem of “too many matches” by protecting his most important and most sought-after player.
For Lizarazu, the situation is simple: what would Mbappé have to gain in this long trip, if not a risk of aggravated injury? Nothing. On the other hand, the substitutes have everything to gain in terms of playing time. It is a “win-win” situation. The Basque recalls that the investment of the captain of the Blues is total and that he has always been there in the moments that count. Taking it easy on this match is therefore proof of lucidity, not laxity.
Modern and necessary management
Lizarazu goes even further, based on his own experience at Bayern Munich with Ottmar Hitzfeld. He explains that a relationship of trust allows a player to admit his fatigue without it being seen as a “form of weakness”, which was the case in his time. He welcomes this development and believes that the management of Deschamps is the “minimum” for a player “the most pressurized in the France team”, who needs “oxygen bubbles”.
The debate is therefore settled for the former full-back. Deschamps’ decision is not a whim granted to a star, but a long-term strategic decision. The ultimate objective is not to win in Azerbaijan, but to have Kylian Mbappé in full possession of his means for the World Cup in America. Protecting your best asset is not an advantage, it is a responsibility.
The controversy perfectly illustrates two visions of football. On the one hand, that which advocates strict equal treatment in the name of the collective. On the other, the more pragmatic one, defended by Lizarazu, who considers that extraordinary players require extraordinary management. Didier Deschamps, as a protective manager, has clearly chosen his side.
