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sports Dialuna 14 Juni 2021

Feud between Mbappé and Giroud escalates at Euro 2020

(AP) — A brewing feud Mbappe said Sunday he had expresses a feeling when he ed him on his goals, he didn't want to make "a big deal
between France strikers been "a little affected" by the speaks. I'm a forward and I've say anything to me. I heard about it."
Kylian Mbappé and Olivi- growing unrest caused by Gi- had that feeling 365 times in about it in the press. That's "We are here to represent
er Giroud has gone public, roud's comments. a game, when you feel like more (important) than what France, that is the most im-
potentially threatening you're not being served. he said, he didn't say any- portant thing," he said.
team unity ahead of the "What he said does not bother thing bad."
opening match against me more than that," Mbappe "It's more about releasing Giroud's regular place in
Germany at the European said at a news conference, it publicly. I saw him in the Mbappe, one of the world's France's attack has been
Championship. according to L'Equipe. "He dressing room, I congratulat- best strikers, said he didn't threatened by the recall of
Benzema after nearly six years
It all started on Tuesday after away from the national team
France's 3-0 victory over Bul- amid a bitter fallout with
garia in a friendly when Gir- coach Didier Deschamps
oud suggested he wasn't get- over Benzema's alleged role
ting the service he deserved in a sex-tape scandal.
— deemed by some a swipe
at Mbappé. However, Benzema limped
Giroud scored two goals after off against Bulgaria with a
coming on as a substitute for minor knee injury and is a
Karim Benzema, and several doubt for the Euro 2020 game
of his teammates ran towards against Germany in Munich
him to celebrate his first one. on Tuesday, raising the possi-
But not Mbappé, who ap- bility of Giroud coming back
peared to walk in the oppo- into the team.
site direction.
Giroud and Benzema had a
"I was quiet because some- frosty relationship prior to
times you make a run and the Benzema's fallout with Des-
balls just don't arrive," Gir- champs. That cost Benzema
oud said on L'Equipe TV. "I his place and Giroud took it
don't always pretend to make to become France's second-
the right calls, but I have tried highest scorer with 46 goals,
hard to give solutions in the five behind Thierry Henry's
area." national record.