Ousmane Dembélé has withdrawn from the French team's two Nations League matches against Israel on Thursday and Italy on Sunday. The PSG striker will be replaced by Kingsley Coman in Didier Deschamps' list, the French Football Federation announced on Monday.
Dembélé (27 years old, 53 caps, 6 goals) “felt pain in his right ischio on Saturday against Angers”, according to the FFF which specifies that the PSG striker came to the Clairefontaine National Football Center on Monday to have it noted his injury by the Blues doctor, Frank Le Gall, and also spoke with the coach. The absence of Dembélé further weakens an offensive sector already deprived of captain Kylian Mbappé.
Flag back in Blue
Dembélé's defection is added to that of defender Wesley Fofana, replaced by Benjamin Pavard. The Chelsea player (23 years old, 1 selection) “feels recurring pain in his left knee which requires treatment following the Chelsea-Arsenal match on Sunday”, indicated the FFF.
Fofana had already been excused from the September rally to “follow a treatment protocol, linked to the injuries which had kept him away from the field for a long time last season”, the FFF indicated at the time.
A point to take in two matches
Fofana's package offers Pavard the opportunity to regain his health in the French team. The Inter Milan defender (28 years old, 54 caps), 2018 world champion, had not played a single minute during Euro 2024 and had not been called up in blue in September and October.
Second in its group in the League of Nations, France only needs a point against Israel, Thursday at the Stade de France, to qualify for the quarter-finals.
France
