The Minnesota Timberwolves face the Chicago Bulls in a key NBA matchup on Thursday night. Chicago is coming off a 119-99 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, while Minnesota defeated Charlotte 114-93 on Monday. The Timberwolves (4-3), who were the third seed in the Western Conference last season with a 56-26 record, are 1-2 on the road this year. The Bulls (3-5), who finished fourth in the Central Division at 39-43, are 21-23 at home since the start of last season. Chicago could be without guard Zach Lavine (thigh), who missed Wednesday’s game and is listed as doubtful.
Kickoff from the United Center in Chicago is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The Timberwolves are 9.5-point favorites in the latest Timberwolves vs. Bulls consensus odds from SportsLine, while the over/under for total points scored is 227. The Wolves are -452 moneyline favorites (risk $452 to win $100). Before making any choice between Bulls and Timberwolves,
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has generated over $10,000 in winnings from $100 player bets on its top-rated site. NBA selections for the last six seasons. The model enters Week 3 of the 2024-25 NBA season on an excellent 101-64 run on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone who follows sports betting and betting apps has made huge profits.
The model has set her sights on Timberwolves against bulls and simply locked in his NBA picks and predictions.
Difference between Timberwolves and Bulls: Minnesota -9.5
Timberwolves vs Bulls plus/minus: 227 points
Timberwolves vs Bulls money line: Minnesota -452, Chicago +349
MIN: The Timberwolves have reached the money line in 33 of their last 50 road games
CHI: Bulls are 1-2 against the spread in home games this season
Timberwolves vs Bulls Picks:
Timberwolves vs Bulls stream: fubo tv (Try it for free)
Why the Timberwolves can cover
Shooting guard Anthony Edwards is one of five players with a double-digit scoring average. In seven starts this season, he is averaging 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and three assists in 37.1 minutes of action. The top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft is connecting on 46.8% of his shots from the floor, including an astonishing 45% from 3-point range. In a 120-114 loss to the Mavericks on October 29, he scored 37 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists.
Power forward Julius Randle has been dominant. In seven starts, he is averaging 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 33.1 minutes. He is connecting on 57.4% of his field goals, including 46.4% from the 3-point line and 76.3% from the free throw line. He scored a season-high 33 points with five rebounds and four assists in a 117-115 win at Sacramento on October 24.
Why the Bulls can cover
Center Nikola Vucevic is among Chicago’s leading scorers. In Wednesday’s loss to Dallas, he finished with a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He has recorded seven double-doubles in eight starts this season. He is averaging 20.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 32.4 minutes of action. He scored a season-high 28 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out three assists in a 120-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets last Friday.
Point guard Coby White is one of five Bulls players averaging double-digit scoring. In eight games, White is averaging 19 points, 4.6 assists, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.1 minutes of action. He scored a season-high 35 points with six rebounds, five assists and four steals in a 133–122 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on October 25. He scored 28 points and added six assists, four rebounds and two steals in a 135-126 victory against the Utah Jazz on Monday.
How to make Bulls vs. Timberwolves
The model has simulated Bulls vs. Timberwolves 10,000 times and we already have the results. The model is leaning downward on the total, projecting a combined 220 points. It also says that one side of the differential affects almost 60% of the simulations.
We’ve seen some incredible comebacks in the Premier League over the years, but few can match the way Chris claimed victory in last week’s predictions.
He trailed his guest, The Piano winner Brad Kella, 80-20 after eight of the 10 games in Week 10, and was also within 50 points of you, before giving himself hope with an exact score in the Manchester United draw against Chelsea on Sunday.
After 90 minutes of Monday’s final match, Kella’s prediction of a 1-0 win at Brentford looked to give him overall victory, before Fulham’s 92nd-minute equalizer saw BBC Sport readers, who had sought a 1-1 draw, to take the lead. things were like that.
Chris would have finished third with either of those results, but instead he pulled off a remarkable last-gasp victory, thanks to Harry Wilson’s 97th-minute goal for the Cottagers, giving him another exact score and 40 more points.
That meant he ended up with four correct results, including those two exact scores, and a total of 100 points.
Kella got five correct results, but only one exact score, leaving him in 80 points, and got four correct results with an exact score, ending in 70 points.
“I sent a case of wine to Harry Wilson’s house to thank him,” Chris said. “Or at least I would if I knew where he lived.”
BALTIMORE — For the previous seven seasons, when Baltimore Ravens offensive linemen left the field after a drive, they would head to the sideline to hear a trusted voice. Then, Joe D’Alessandris would get down on one knee and instruct “my boys” on what needed to be improved.
When the Ravens host the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), the unit will get together after each series at the same spot at M&T Bank Stadium, but their longtime offensive line coach won’t be there.
D’Alessandris died of a heart attack at the age of 70 on Aug. 25. The loss of the man affectionately known as “Joe D” 11 days before the season kicked off devastated a group that was already undergoing the biggest changes on the team. Now, as the Ravens head into the second half of the season, the sadness of not getting to say goodbye to D’Alessandris has been replaced by the motivation to make him proud.
“His presence is always felt here,” right tackle Roger Rosengarten said.
All they have to do is look at the wall behind their bench or glance at the back decal of their helmets — where the “Joe D” is displayed prominently in white lettering, in white lettering, along with “Jacoby 12,” which honors former Super Bowl star Jacoby Jones, who died on July 14.
Others see D’Alessandris’ imprint in the old-school work ethic and toughness that has made the Ravens’ offensive line the muscle behind a team that leads the league in yards per game (445.9). The line is clearing paths for Derrick Henry, the NFL’s rushing leader, and blockading pass-rushers from quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is the second-favorite to win his third NFL MVP trophy.
When you ask the Ravens how D’Alessandris might react to their success, they smile.
“He would still be getting on us in the meeting rooms,” Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum said. “He certainly would. He’d be still impressed. He’d always be impressed with Lamar and the things he’s able to do. He would love watching Derrick Henry run the football, just saying, ‘Hey, we got to block for this guy. He’s going to make guys miss.’ But he’s certainly going to find a lot of things that we can work on, that’s for sure.”
Hard work and discipline were instilled in D’Alessandris while growing up in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a blue-collar town outside of Pittsburgh. When he was a teenager, D’Alessandris spent his summers with his father working at the steel mill. The grizzled workers taught him that one shot of whiskey got you ready for your long day of work.
It’s no surprise hard work was the trademark of D’Alessandris’ offensive lines over his 45 years of coaching. Under D’Alessandris, the Ravens’ offensive line was the first group on the practice field and typically the last to leave it.
“He was a very serious coach,” left tackle Ronnie Stanley said. “He always wanted to do more. I don’t think it was ever enough. He was always looking for an advantage.”
The first time Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke with D’Alessandris was when he interviewed for the offensive line coaching job in 2017. Harbaugh was immediately impressed with D’Alessandris’ concepts to pick up blitzes.
“He’s an old-school coach, but he’s got this really flexible system that is really kind of new-school relevant,” Harbaugh said. “I think his No. 1 superpower was pass protection.”
In the previous seven seasons, Baltimore tied for eighth in fewest sacks allowed with 268. Over that time, Ravens quarterbacks had an average of 2.53 seconds in the pocket, which is the fourth-highest rate in the league.
Every Wednesday during the regular season, D’Alessandris announced, “It’s time to get back to basics.” Every lineman knew what that meant.
D’Alessandris would get out the chute. The linemen get in their stance and charge under the 4-foot high metal apparatus and block a teammate, which was a way to emphasize staying low and balanced.
The drill wasn’t the players’ favorite, but they couldn’t argue with the results. From 2017 to the 2023 season, the Baltimore offensive line ranked in the top 10 in win rates for run and pass blocking.
“He loved to coach for coaching’s sake,” Harbaugh said. “He was a teacher and a developer of talent.”
D’Alessandris’ passion was connecting with players and getting the most out of them. He mentored five Pro Bowl linemen in Baltimore in Marshal Yanda, Orlando Brown Jr., Kevin Zeitler, Stanley and Linderbaum. But D’Alessandris beamed as much about the mid- to late-round picks and undrafted players who became starters like Patrick Mekari, Bradley Bozeman, Ben Powers, Matt Skura and Daniel Faalele.
D’Alessandris used tough love in the meeting room and on the practice field. He wasn’t known as a screamer but would raise his voice when ticked off enough.
When Mekari was an undrafted rookie, one of his first meaningful interactions with D’Alessandris was asking him about a combination block that he thought was called “a ping.”
“A ping? A f—ing ping?,” D’Alessandris responded. “It’s called a f—ing plug.”
Every year, D’Alessandris would tell the rookies this story.
Still, no matter how much D’Alessandris would criticize or correct a player, he’d pull up a chair next to him in the cafeteria a half hour later and ask about their family. He had a knack for remembering the names of everyone’s wife, cousin and even pets.
“He never wrote a player off,” Harbaugh said. “He always gave every player the same attention, whether he was the All-Pro player or the guy that was the free agent that nobody thought would make the team. He was genuinely interested in people.”
D’Alessandris was in charge of the biggest question mark on the Ravens. Baltimore revamped its offensive line this offseason, replacing three starters.
The Ravens didn’t re-sign right guard Kevin Zeitler and left guard John Simpson in free agency and then traded right tackle Morgan Moses to the New York Jets. Baltimore eventually replaced their starters with Mekari at left guard, Faalele at right guard and Rosengarten at right tackle.
But there was another change that no one expected. When the players reported to training camp in July, D’Alessandris revealed he had “a procedure” and it could limit what he could do in drills.
D’Alessandris underwent heart valve repair surgery when minicamp ended in June, which allowed him to get back for the start of training camp. Doctors had been monitoring the situation for 10 years, and the procedure wasn’t considered a big concern. He had to pace himself and limit the number of late nights at the facility.
D’Alessandris didn’t want to burden others with his issues. If he had a doctor’s appointment, he would say things like, “I got to go see a guy about a dog.”
“The last thing I think he wanted is for someone to worry about him,” Linderbaum said.
D’Alessandris’ wife of 42 years died in May 2022, but his three daughters were there to help him. He also took comfort in his other family with the Ravens.
It went well for a few weeks until the preseason opener at home against the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 9. D’Alessandris was sitting down more than he normally would.
“He wasn’t himself,” Rosengarten said. “We could tell something was wrong.”
After the game, Mekari told D’Alessandris to go home and take it easy and offered to drive D’Alessandris from the stadium. “No, I’m good,” the coach responded.
A day later, D’Alessandris was absent from the early-morning meetings at the facility. He had collapsed at his condo and was rushed to the hospital.
The Ravens announced on Aug. 14 that D’Alessandris was taking a leave of absence and hired George Warhop, a 27-year offensive line coach, as the temporary fill-in.
“The prognosis was positive,” Warhop said. “I just thought I would hold the fort down for him. When he came back, we’d work together.”
Linderbaum was woken up by his girlfriend. It was the morning after the Ravens had finished the preseason, and the players had the day off.
She needed to tell him the news a teammate’s wife had told her: D’Alessandris suffered a heart attack and had died.
“I was speechless,” Linderbaum said. “It was sad. I mean, the last I heard, he was getting better.”
Doctors had diagnosed D’Alessandris with an infection, and he was getting better with medication. The update from D’Alessandris’ family had been that he was getting strong enough to redo the heart valve procedure.
“I was just in shock. I couldn’t really believe it,” Stanley said. “And then just kind of thinking that I didn’t get to say bye. I didn’t get to see him. So that was kind of the whole emotional kind of roller coaster in that moment.”
The Ravens lost their season opener to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 27-20 on Sept. 5. The next day, the team attended D’Alessandris’ funeral.
Baltimore then fell to 0-2 after a 26-23 upset loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The offense was struggling, and the reworked line took the brunt of the blame.
The Ravens made a lineup change, moving Mekari from right tackle to left guard to replace an injured Andrew Vorhees. That allowed Rosengarten to start at right tackle.
But the bigger challenge was the emotional weight of losing D’Alessandris.
“It was definitely uneasy when he passed and just getting the whole thing rolling on the season,” Rosengarten said. “We started out pretty slow and then kind of started to pick it up. I definitely could say that there was some change within the start of the season with that. But now it’s just all about taking that momentum and running with it.”
The Ravens felt fortunate that Warhop, who coached offensive lines for eight NFL teams, was available. Warhop remembers being in the World League of American Football with D’Alessandris in the 1990s, and he worked under Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken when they were both with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers six years ago.
Harbaugh praised Warhop for how he has handled the unusual situation of coming into a situation where the scheme and calls were already in place. Over the last three months, Warhop has leaned on the players to explain some terminology to him while he has slowly made changes to fit how he coaches the offensive line.
The players talk about D’Alessandris every day. They’ll bring up one of his quirky sayings like, “don’t mix your mashed potatoes with your peas and carrots.” They’ll refer to run blocking as “snowplowing,” as D’Alessandris would.
“It’s still his room,” Warhop said.
Since the two season-opening losses, the Ravens’ linemen have become the unsung heroes of an offense that leads the NFL with 445.9 yards per game. In a 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, the linemen blocked so well that Henry went untouched on an 87-yard touchdown run. In a 41-10 victory over the Denver Broncos, Jackson was hit one time by the then-No. 3 defense in the NFL, which allowed him to record a perfect passer rating.
At the midway point of the season, Jackson leads the NFL in QBR (77.3) and Henry tops the league in rushing yards (1,052). After nearly every game, Jackson and Henry have thanked the offensive line, which has been playing for a higher purpose this season.
“They always wanted to make him proud and happy,” Harbaugh said. “Joe was always easy about letting them know when they didn’t do it right and he let them know when they do it right. He was an open book that way. The guys respect that. His approval was really valuable to those guys.”
The Baltimore Ravens are making a roster change ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The team is waiving former Pro Bowl pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue in hopes of re-signing him to its practice squad. according to ESPN.
The Ravens now have an open roster spot they can choose to fill with running back Keaton Mitchell, who could make his season debut against the Bengals after missing the first eight games recovering from a knee injury suffered last year. Mitchell, a rookie last year, rushed for 396 yards (and averaged a whopping 5.9 yards per carry) before getting injured.
The Ravens are taking a risk on Ngakoue, as they won’t be able to re-sign him until he clears waivers. But that won’t happen if a team decides to sign the nine-year veteran first.
Ngakoue, a Pro Bowl selection with the Jaguars in 2017, has recorded 1.5 sacks in five games this season with the Ravens. Ngakoue, who has played for five different franchises since leaving the Jaguars (his original team) in 2020, is returning from an ankle injury he suffered late in the 2023 season as a member of the Chicago Bears.
The 29-year-old has 70.5 career sacks, 21 forced fumbles and 72 tackles for loss. He has recorded at least eight sacks in a season seven times, most recently in 2022 as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
The Philadelphia Union fired head coach Jim Curtin on Thursday, ending his decade-long tenure in charge of the team. The Union missed the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017 this season, finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference. It was a sudden drop after reaching the 2022 MLS Cup final, although a series of injuries significantly derailed their hopes this season.
Curtin has long been synonymous with Union – the team is the only one he has ever coached and is the team’s longest-serving coach, taking over as head coach in June 2014, just four years into his season. of expansion. The Pennsylvania native has also been on the Union’s books since June 2010, when he was hired as an academy coach. He was promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2013 season by then-head coach John Hackworth, replacing Hackowrth on an interim basis after a slump entering the 2014 season.
During his spell as caretaker, Curtin’s Union lost just six of their remaining 15 matches and reached the final of the US Open Cup, prompting the club to reward him with the full-time head coaching position.
Union’s faith in Curtin finally paid off with a Supporters’ Shield victory in 2020, the club’s first and only trophy so far. They were also runners-up in the 2022 MLS Cup, as well as finalists in the 2014, 2015, and 2018 US Open Cup finals.
Although Curtin signed a new long-term contract just over a year ago, his streak of winning just nine games in 2024 was one of the Union’s worst performances in recent years.
Curtin is now the eighth head coach fired in MLS this season, and the Union position is now one of four in the league still vacant.
Lifelong Coventry supporter and BBC CWR sports editor Rob Gurney has seen pretty much it all in his time covering and following the club.
He says Robin’s departure has once again illustrated the contrasting emotions that are often present between a fan and a journalist.
“Am I devastated? Absolutely. Am I surprised? Not in the least,” he said.
“football does not respect the history or reputation of a manager, but you could argue that Mark Robins was a special case.
“Yes, he left once, under a cloud. But, since his return in March 2017, he has brought the club back from the abyss.
“Winning the EFL Trophy just weeks after his return instantly endeared him to Sky Blues fans again.
“An immediate return from League Two, after another memorable trip to Wembley, further cemented that relationship.
“Then we saw the League One title secured during Covid, we were one missed penalty away from the Premier League and, most heartbreaking of all, a nail in the finger ended the biggest FA Cup comeback.
“Championship form dipped, understandably, after the physical and mental strain of that semi-final.”
Gurney added that the timing of that hangover was unfortunate, given the club’s pronounced public relations strategy heading into this season.
“Then a very aggressive ‘Think Big, Aim High’ summer marketing campaign fueled expectations of a promotion push, but a slow start, for the third season in a row, sealed Robins’ fate.
“My sense is that the back-to-back wins over Luton and Middlesbrough were a major setback for owner and chairman Doug King, particularly the fans’ response to Robins personally, at the 2-0 defeat in the first of those.
“His and his players’ management of the game has been scrutinized in recent weeks, although he seemed to have bought himself a little more time.
“Now that King has made the decision to dispense with the man many fans consider the modern-day Jimmy Hill, the next one could define the city’s destiny for years to come.”
After the Los Angeles Lakers’ 131-114 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, coach JJ Redick criticized his team for its transition defense, defensive rebounding and overall effort. The Grizzlies took advantage when the Lakers dropped back on defense and Memphis recovered almost 40% of its misses. Redick also told reporters that even though Los Angeles had “talked about not letting the ball go up the middle,” the Grizzlies “killed us on that.”
Redick praised LeBron James, who scored 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting: “He’s almost 40 years old and he played the hardest on our team.” Asked if he was satisfied with the rest of the team’s effort, he said, “None of us are.” D’Angelo Russell played only 22 minutes, and Redick told reporters that he did not put Russell back on after midway through the third quarter because of his “level of competence” and “attention to detail.”
These are “some of the things we’ve talked to him about for a couple of weeks,” Redick said. “And sometimes, he’s been really good with those things, and other times he just falls back into certain habits. It wasn’t like a punishment; I just felt like, for us, to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take. . [Vincent] “In the first half, defensively, he was fantastic and I just wanted to see what he looked like.”
Late in the first quarter, Russell allowed Scotty Pippen Jr. enter a wide open 3 after a mark. In the second quarter, the Lakers again failed to equalize after a made basket, and Russell’s man, Jaylen Wells, knocked down an open 3 in the corner.
Through eight games, Los Angeles is 4-4, but has allowed 118.8 points per 100 possessions, the third-worst mark in the league. They have allowed 21.3 fast break points per 100 possessions, which ranks last. When it comes to transition defense, their numbers on Cleaning The Glass are terrifying: Not only are they allowing opponents to run at high frequency, but they’re giving up by far the most transition points of any team in this league. season, or any other season in the database, dating back to 2003-04.
FURTHER:Grizzlies’ Ja Morant says he “don’t like” the Lakers, talks viral battle with LeBron James
The Lakers began the season by winning at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings. The loss at Memphis concluded a five-game road trip in which they finished 1-4, including a 24-point loss at Cleveland and a 12-point loss at Detroit. Anthony Davis missed the Grizzlies game but was available for everyone else. While the strong start may have been deceptive, Los Angeles’ transition defense probably shouldn’t be the worst. ever.
“Every night you can choose how to play and it has nothing to do with making shots,” Redick said. “There has to be a group of people (seven, eight guys) that make that decision, and we are a really good basketball team. If we have a handful, if we have two or three, we are not going to be a good basketball team that night .So that’s the reality. I mean, that’s my biggest takeaway. [from the road trip]to be honest.”
However, making shots remains a problem. James made 6 of his 11 3-point attempts in Memphis, but the rest of the team was a combined 9 of 37. Only two teams have attempted 3-pointers less frequently this season, according to Cleaning The Glass, and the Lakers rank 25th in both caught. Three-point and free throw percentage and open three-point percentage, according to nba.com. When they return home to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday and the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, they have a variety of issues to resolve.
Interim boss Renee Slegers said it is a “bump in the road” that Arsenal have been forced to move their Women’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich from the Emirates Stadium due to a scheduling conflict with the men’s team. .
The match, Arsenal’s final group stage match, will be played on Wednesday, December 18 and the club has been selling tickets since September.
However, it now clashes with the Carabao Cup quarter-final between the men’s team and Crystal Palace.
“I think it’s been a very difficult dilemma for the club: two big teams competing in competitions,” Slegers said.
“I think what we have been doing very well is driving the growth of women’s football for a long time.
“So I think this is a bump in the road, but what Arsenal have done for women’s football over time is very strong.”
The only midweek day available for Crystal Palace, if they want to have two days of rest between matches, is Wednesday, as they have televised Premier League matches the Sunday before and the Saturday after.
There is an additional problem surrounding the EFL Cup scheduling, as Tottenham will face Manchester United, who also play in the league, at home on the previous Sunday. London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal cannot play important home games on the same night for police reasons.
Arsenal are now exploring alternatives with European governing body UEFA for the match against Bayern, including moving the match to Meadow Park in Borehamwood.
The women’s team has previously played most of its Women’s Super League (WSL) matches at Meadow Park, but the facilities there do not meet UEFA regulations.
“We hope to play against Bayern Munich and have a Champions League night either way,” Slegers added.
Bruce Arena was named head coach and sporting director of the San Jose Earthquakes on Thursday, marking his return to MLS more than a year after being placed on administrative leave.
His extensive role in San Jose is similar to his responsibilities at both the LA Galaxy and the New England Revolution, and he replaces Luchi González after his dismissal in June; Interim Ian Russell managed the team for the remainder of the season.
The club has entrusted the Arena with a massive rebuild ahead of the 2025 season, much needed after a dull 2024 campaign. The Earthquakes sat in last place in the Western Conference this season, conceding a league-record 78 goals in the process. . The Earthquakes have also struggled over the past decade, missing the playoffs in three of their last four seasons and also failing to advance beyond the first round of the postseason every year since 2012.
Arena is one of the most decorated coaches in MLS, having won five MLS Cups between his stints at DC United and LA Galaxy and four Supporters’ Shield titles, the most recent of which came in 2021 with the Revolution. However, he has also been out of the picture since July 2023, when the league opened an investigation into him for “inappropriate and insensitive comments.” He was placed on administrative leave in September 2023 and resigned from his job shortly after.
Arena has not delved into details about the investigation, although in a recent interview with ESPN he said that “it was just personal joking between them in private. I accept any criticism and will move forward.”
In order to accept another job in the league, Arena needed to petition MLS commissioner Don Garber, who appears to have approved the coach’s return. On an episode of CBS Sports Golazo Network’s Kickin’ It, Arena claimed that he was cleared by MLS in December 2023, but that the league’s “lack of communication” about his status hampered his job prospects.
“I’ve had conversations,” he said. “I think there was a little miscommunication around the league about my status. I was cleared in December and no one knew… I talked to a couple of teams and I think some of the information wasn’t communicated properly, but we.” I’ll leave it at that.”
Arena told ESPN that he took some corrective actions to overcome the incident that led to his suspension, although he did not share specifically what work he did.
Kylian Mbappe has been left out of France’s squad for their upcoming Nations League matches, despite coach Didier Deschamps saying the Real Madrid number 9 “wanted to come”.
Mbappe, who has struggled to regain his form since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, sat out last month’s international matches due to what was called a precautionary stance over possible injury. Deschamps did not confirm whether the 25-year-old has similar problems now.
Instead, this was what Deschamps called a “one-off decision”, one that will give the World Cup winner time to regain his best form at club level. France will play Israel on November 14 before traveling to Italy three days later. A victory in either match would guarantee The blues a place in the quarterfinals of the Nations League.
“It’s my responsibility to make decisions,” Deschamps said about the striker’s absence. “I think it’s better this way.”
The coach also denied that Mbappé was left out due to accusations made against the forward by a Swedish newspaper during the previous international break. Mbappé has denied them, publicly dismissing them as “fake news.”
Deschamps said: “What I can tell you are these two things; one, that Kylian wanted to come. And two, there are the additional sporting problems that come into play as the presumption of innocence exists and must exist.”
On the field, Mbappé has scored eight goals in 15 games for Madrid so far this season. The fact that that return, along with two other assists, was seen as a disappointment speaks to the dizzying standards imposed on the Frenchman, who arrived on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti so far He struggled to fit Mbappé into his XI along with Vinicius Junior, while Madrid has also had problems in defense. Three of their last six games ended in defeat, including a 4-0 defeat against Barcelona in the Classic before a 3-1 home defeat against AC Milan. Mbappé did not score in any of the games; in fact, he only has one goal to his name since the beginning of October.
