Edinson Cavani remains in doubt for Uruguay's World Cup quarter-final

10:49 am on 6 July 2018

Edinson Cavani trained lightly today, but his coach wouldn't be drawn on whether the Uruguay forward has recovered sufficiently from injury to have a chance of being fit for tomorrow morning's FIFA World Cup quarter-final with France.

Edinson Cavani.

Edinson Cavani. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Cavani scored two goals in the Round of 16 win over Portugal, then limped off with a calf injury and has been fighting to get fit in time for the showdown in Nizhny Novgorod.

Cristhian Stuani is likely to replace him in attack if needed, alongside the veteran Luis Suarez.

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  • Cavani trained seperatley from the rest of the squad.

    "He's a very important player for us and he was really playing very well. As soon as he got injured, he has worked hard to recover and fulfil his dream," Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez told reporters.

    Meanwhile France's teenage star Kylian Mbappe is on a steep learning curve but dealing comfortably with the intense spotlight that his World Cup performances have brought, says his coach Didier Deschamps.

    The 19-year-old might have already attracted plenty of publicity after his move from Monaco to Paris St Germain last year, but two scintillating goals for France in Russia last weekend have him now being compared with Pele.

    Kylian Mbappe.

    Kylian Mbappe. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

    He has followed in the footsteps of the game's most famous name by becoming only the second teenager to score twice in a match at the finals, as his pace and guile cracked open Argentina in Kazan last Saturday and delivered France to the quarter-finals.

    "What he did against Argentina was very good. It put a spotlight on him obviously, and to play like that in such an important match made a name for him," Deschamps said ahead of the quarter-final against Uruguay.

    "He's had time to digest this and I think he's recovered just like the rest of the team. We've all had a few days to recover."

    "But we must not now relax and think that everything is easy, that life is beautiful and that less effort is needed. But Kylian is smart, he's listening and he knows all that.

    "He's only 19 but he's gone from Monaco to PSG where the demands have been different, and now at the World Cup they are even higher," he said.

    "Despite all the good things he's doing, he's only learning. That's only natural. All players, regardless of their talent, at that age are learning, added the French coach.

    Uruguay, who won the World Cup in 1930 and 1950, are aiming to make the semi-finals for a fifth time and for the second time in the last three tournaments.

    France, who won the World Cup in 1998, are aiming to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2006.

    -Reuters/RNZ