France lose Frank Ribery for World Cup

BAYERN Munich winger Franck Ribery has been ruled out of France’s World Cup campaign, along with Lyon midfielder Clement Grenier.

Franck Ribery and coach Didier Deschamps pose for a team photo yesterday. Picture: Getty

Montpellier’s Remy Cabella and Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin will replace the duo, whose absence was announced by Didier Deschamps at a press conference in Clairefontaine ahead of his side’s departure to Brazil.

Ribery had been following an individual training programme to overcome a back problem and failed to prove his fitness after rejoining the full squad yesterday. Grenier sat out the session as he underwent scans on a thigh injury, and both players’ worst fears were confirmed by coach Deschamps.

Deschamps said: “[Ribery] stopped with a strong pain. He had tests early in the afternoon which unfortunately confirmed the severity of the situation, that he will be unavailable for several weeks.”

Grenier missed much of Lyon’s Ligue 1 run-in with a separate injury and, having regained his fitness in time to join up with France, the latest setback has cost him his trip to the tournament. “He had a groin problem with his club but he participated in the last match,” said Deschamps.

“He came with us and participated in the training sessions and in the match against Norway. On Wednesday he trained as normal, Thursday morning as well, but on Thursday afternoon in the game, he suffered a terrible blow and felt pain in his right adductor.

“He had an MRI scan, which unfortunately again confirmed he will be incapacitated for several weeks, he will not be able to train or, evidently, to play.

“We submitted to Fifa the two medical documents and we decided to call up Morgan Schneiderlin and Remy Cabella.

“The two players were on the reserve list and they are similar to the two players who left us. You cannot copy them exactly but Morgan Schneiderlin is the player most in the profile of Clement Grenier, and Remy Cabella is the most in the profile of Franck Ribery.”

Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette and midfielder Maxime Gonalons were also included in the seven-strong reserve list which also featured defenders Loic Perrin and Benoit Tremoulinas.

St Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier had already been called up in place of Marseille’s Steve Mandanda, meaning Deschamps has now been forced to make three changes to his original squad.