Two games, no goals: France in acute goal trouble

Kylian Mbappé suffered on the bench. With his arms folded, he had to stand idly by and watch as France, the top-class attacking force even without the superstar, failed to score a goal in their second game of the European Championship. "I'd be more worried if we didn't create any chances," said coach Didier Deschamps: "But to win games, you have to score goals, of course."

Unrest is already spreading at home. "At the beginning of the preparations for the European Championship, the big doubts were still about the defense. Just over three weeks later, the question marks are growing on the other side of the pitch," wrote "Le Parisien". The clean sheet against the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday further increased the concerns.

Antoine Griezmann alone had plenty of chances, but even Mbappé's deputy as captain and this time in his beloved more central attacking position just couldn't get the ball over the line. "The ball got stuck at my feet on two occasions," he explained: "We lacked efficiency in both games." Despite players like Griezmann, like France's record goalscorer Olivier Giroud, despite Ousmane Dembélé or Marcus Thuram,

France's winning problem without Mbappé in the starting eleven

France, the title co-favorites, have yet to score a goal of their own in 180 minutes of the European Championship in Germany plus stoppage time. In the 1-0 win against Austria, an own goal gave the French victory. And that was despite Mbappé, who was injured in the closing stages on Monday. Deschamps left him completely on the bench against Elftal, after he had actually been confident and optimistic the day before.

However, Deschamps did not want to call a bluff. "If it had been a crucial game, I might have thought twice about it," he said. "After everything that happened, I thought it was the better decision." Without Mbappé, however, the French have a winning problem.

Bayern's Coman on Mbappé: It's always better with him

Of the last six games in which he has not been in the starting line-up, they have won none, drawing four and losing two instead. "Kylian is Kylian, you can't compare him to anyone else," said Deschamps. "Kylian wasn't on the pitch and of course it's always better with him," emphasized FC Bayern's Kingsley Coman.

So will Mbappé play again next Tuesday (18:00) against Poland? That is the question that will occupy France at least until then. With four points from the games against Austria and the Netherlands, the starting position for progression is extremely good. With a win or a draw against Poland, everything would be clear.

A defeat could even be enough for second place if the Netherlands win against Austria or pick up a point. If France finish the preliminary round in third place, the four points gained would be a good starting position for a place among the four best third-placed teams in the group. One thing would help the French to avoid such arithmetic: Scoring the goal.