Michael Olise has become one of the most important players at FC Bayern, and the 24-year-old has also firmly established himself on the French national team. However, the attacking star will initially sit out the Nations League match against Belgium.
As reported by RMC Sport, Olise will start on the bench Sunday evening against Belgium. This appears to be a deliberate decision by national team coach Zinédine Zidane to manage his workload, rather than a demotion based on performance.
In two of France’s three Nations League matches so far, Olise has been in the starting lineup. Only against Belgium was he substituted into the game in the closing stages, scoring the goal that secured a 1-0 victory for the Equipe Tricolore.
Olise most recently delivered a strong performance against Italy
Olise once again made his mark in the recent 1-1 draw against Italy. The 24-year-old scored France’s opening goal with a spectacular free-kick variation.
Beyond that, the winger was one of the more prominent French players. Already in the first half, a deflected cross from him hit the crossbar, and shortly after halftime, he was denied by the Italian goalkeeper.
Given his heavy workload, it comes as no surprise that Zidane is now giving him a break. Olise is in almost constant demand for both FC Bayern and the French national team.
Zidane recently raved about Olise
In any case, sitting on the bench against Belgium is unlikely to change Olise’s standing with Les Bleus. Just recently, Zidane explicitly praised his attacking player and, despite his reserved personality, even described him as a leader.
“Off the field, he’s a bit reserved and shy. But that’s perfectly fine, because on the field he’s not shy at all—with his style of play, he’s a natural leader,” explained the French national team coach.
Zidane also raved about his protégé from a sporting perspective: “He shows his full talent on the ball. He’s been a fixture here for some time now and is doing very well at his club.”
For FC Bayern, the breather is likely to be very welcome. After the international break, the Munich team will once again face a tightly packed schedule.