ANTOINE GRIEZMANN was on Monday ruled out of France’s friendlies against Germany and Chile with an ankle sprain ending his record run of playing 84 consecutive games for Les Bleus.

The Atletico Madrid star will be absent from the French squad for the first time since November 2016 as France play their final friendlies before the Euro 2024 tournament from 14 June to 14 July.

Griezmann has appeared on the pitch for France in every match since a friendly against England in June 2017, when the forward was an unused sub.

Lazio’s Matteo Guendouzi has been called up for the first time since the last World Cup in place of 127-cap Griezmann, who has scored 44 goals for France.

Coach Didier Deschamps has described Griezmann as “not irreplaceable but essential” for the France set-up, but accepted the recommendations of the team doctor, the French football federation said.

The 32-year-old missed four games for Atletico before returning last week and scoring in the Champions League against Inter Milan with the Spanish side advancing to the quarter-finals on penalties.

He also came on at half-time in the 3-0 defeat against Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday.

“Antoine has a problem with his ankle, which reacted even though he played 45 minutes last night,” Deschamps said.

Guendouzi has played seven times for France, scoring one goal. He last played in the final group match in the Qatar World Cup, a 1-0 defeat against Tunisia.

“With Antoine’s qualities we’re not going to find a player who has his characteristics,” Deschamps said.

“A replacement position for position is very, very, very difficult to find. We will arrange things differently.”

- ‘Workforce review’ -

AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan is also an injury doubt while Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele is recovering from a punctured eardrum.

Deschamps said he was optimistic for Adrien Rabiot, Lucas Hernandez and Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool defender Konate has not played the last three matches for the English club and was also absent for France in September and November due to injury.

“Ibou had some little niggling problems, he’s coming off a season where he played a lot,” said Deschamps.

For his final “workforce review” before revealing his European championships squad in mid-May, Deschamps said he wanted “to involve as many players as possible”.

The objective, he said, would be for the two-time European champions to anticipate what may happen in May or June because “we’re never safe” from injuries.

“We are not here to try things, we know the players,” he insisted.

However, Deschamps did not call up newcomers, brushing aside speculation around 21-year-old PSG attacker Bradley Barcola.

“We’re in rehearsal, to try different combinations in the two matches,” Deschamps added.

France play two friendlies against European hosts Germany on 23 March in Lyon and Chile three days later in Marseille.

Deschamps’ side open their European campaign on 17 June in Duesseldorf against Austria.

Meanwhile, Serie A club Lazio announced today that Croatian coach Igor Tudor will replace Maurizio Sarri.

Sarri stepped down last week after a poor run of form left the Roman club ninth in Italy’s top flight and off the pace for European football.

“Lazio announces that Igor Tudor, starting today, will take on the role of manager of the first team,” the club said in a brief statement.

“Good luck, gaffer!” it added in English on X, posting a photo of the former Croatia defender holding a Lazio scarf.

Tudor, 45, who won two Serie A titles with Juventus as a player, took Marseille to third in Ligue 1 last season but left the long-troubled club “for professional and private reasons”.

Tudor was also previously at Verona, who finished ninth after he took over from sacked Eusebio Di Francesco.

– © AFP 2024