France U21s’ 2-0 victory over Estonia was overshadowed by two pieces of bad news. Ethan Mbappé and Senny Mayulu were both forced off through injury during the first half. Despite the win, it proved to be a particularly difficult evening for Les Bleuets.
The problems began as early as the 12th minute. Named in Gérald Baticle’s starting line-up, Ethan Mbappé took a knock to his right ankle and was unable to continue. The former PSG player, now at Lille, was replaced by Jean-Mattéo Bahoya. A few minutes later, Senny Mayulu also caused concern, with the PSG midfielder feeling pain in his left thigh before eventually leaving the pitch in the 41st minute. Noé Lebreton came on in his place.
Two Injuries in the First Half
Gérald Baticle did not want to take any risks with Mayulu. While initial reports suggested discomfort in the adductor area, the France U21 coach later clarified that the Paris midfielder had felt pain in his left thigh. Ethan Mbappé’s situation appears more concerning, with the Lille player due to undergo tests to determine the exact nature and severity of his ankle injury.
No immediate examination was planned for Mayulu after the match. The medical staff initially wanted to wait and see how the pain developed once his body had cooled down. PSG will obviously be monitoring the condition of their young midfielder closely over the coming hours.
Despite those two setbacks, France U21s still managed to get the job done in Estonia, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Steve Ngoura and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya, who had come on following Ethan Mbappé’s injury. Les Bleuets have moved closer to qualifying for the 2027 European Under-21 Championship, but attention will now turn to the fitness of Mbappé and Mayulu.
