In the Europa League group stage, France beat Austria 1-0. However, French star Kylian Mbappe suffered a fractured nasal bone after hitting his nose during the match. According to the French Football Association (FFA), Mbappe will not undergo surgery but will wear a mask to continue playing.
Although Mbappe can wear a mask on the field, doctors have expressed concern about his breathing problems. Ear, nose and throat doctor Michel Cymes noted, "If he plays again, he will wear a mask, but it's not really a problem. The problem is mainly breathing because the inside of the nose gets swollen."
Plastic surgeon Michael Benoilid explains the situation further, "In this case, we can use a mask to protect the fracture of the nose. However, it is also important to take into account that the edema of his nasal septum will affect breathing. When there is a fracture, fluid can accumulate in the mucosa and therefore breathing can become difficult. We can reduce the edema of the nasal septum with corticosteroids, but this will inevitably have an impact on performance."
On when Mbappe will be able to resume normal breathing, Michael Benoilid said, "The Europa League is over in three weeks. The edema will probably subside in about ten days to two weeks."
