France without top footballers

Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines (France), Nov. 13: Premier League stars Anthony Martial, Paul Pogba and Benjamin Mendy will miss France’s key Nations League fixture against the Netherlands and the Uruguay friendly through injury, the French Football Federation (FFF) have announced on Monday.

The trio of players arrived in Paris for assessment but were deemed unfit to feature for Didier Deschamps’ side who will qualify for the Nations League finals by beating the Dutch on Friday.

Manchester United forward Martial who is in fine form for his club scoring six goals in his last five Premier League outings, is suffering from a groin injury.

World champion midfielder Pogba who missed United’s derby defeat to Manchester City on Sunday through injury has a thigh problem.

City left-back Mendy will miss both fixtures after a scan in the French capital showed an issue with his knee.

Striker Alexandre Lacazette had originally replaced Martial but the Arsenal forward was unable to join the squad.

His spot was taken by uncapped Borussia Moenchengladbach attacker Alessane Plea who scored a hat-trick in the Bundesliga victory over Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko takes Pogba’s place in Deschamps’ squad.

Sissoko has not featured in an international game since the victory over Belarus last October

Lyon rookie Ferland Mendy inherits his namesake Bernard’s spot in the 23-man group.

The 2018 World Cup winners travel to Rotterdam to face Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands on Friday before a friendly against Uruguay the following Tuesday in Paris.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid’s Uruguayan defender Diego Godin is set to miss upcoming matches against Brazil, France and Barcelona after suffering a thigh injury in last weekend’s league win over Athletic Bilbao.