Ousmane Dembélé has withdrawn from both matches of the France team in the Nations League against Israelon Thursday and Italy on Sunday. The PSG will be replaced by Kingsley Coman in the Didier Deschampsthe French Football Federation announced on Monday.
Dembélé (27, 53 caps, 6 goals) “felt pain in his right hamstring on Saturday against Angers”, according to the FFF, who added that the PSG striker came to the Clairefontaine National Football Center on Monday to have his injury diagnosed by Les Bleus doctor Frank Le Gall, and also spoke with the coach. Dembélé’s absence further deplores an attacking sector already deprived of captain Kylian Mbappé.
Pavard back in France
Dembélé’s defection adds to that of defender Wesley Fofana, who is replaced by Benjamin Pavard. The Chelsea player (23, 1 cap) is “experiencing recurring pain in his left knee which requires treatment following the Chelsea-Arsenal match on Sunday”, the FFF said.
Fofana had already been excused from the September squad to “follow a treatment protocol linked to the injuries that kept him off the pitch for so long last season”, the FFF said at the time.
One point from two games
Fofana’s forfeit provides Pavard with an opportunity to regain his fitness for the French national team. The Inter Milan defender (28, 54 caps), a 2018 world champion, didn’t play a single minute at Euro 2024 and wasn’t called up to the Blues in September and October.
Second in their Nations League group, France need just a point against Israel at the Stade de France on Thursday to qualify for the quarter-finals.