[ad_1]
Aurelien Tchouameni and Theo Hernandez were absent from training with the France squad as they continued their recovery from respective injuries.
Tchouameni, 22, and Hernandez, 25, did not train with the rest of the group on Friday due to a hip and knee injury respectively.
They have both been crucial players for Didier Deschamps’ side, who face Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final on Sunday.
Tchouameni has started all of France’s matches and gave his nation the lead against England in the quarter-final, which they eventually won 2-1.
Similarly, Hernandez was brought into action in the group-stage opener against Australia after his brother, Lucas, suffered a serious knee injury.
Within minutes, Hernandez managed an assist en route to France winning that match 4-1. He has since retained his place in the starting line-up and also scored France’s opener against Morocco in their semi-final victory, which finished 2-0 to the reigning world champions.
Deschamps’ side have, however, faced a number of setbacks within the squad in preparations for their attempts to win successive World Cups.
The France camp was hit by a bug ahead of their semi-final win against Morocco on Wednesday, with manager Didier Deschamps admitting there had been “a few cases of flu-like symptoms”.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who has formed a formidable midfield partnership with Tchouameni, remained at the team’s hotel for the last-four game, while defender Dayot Upamecano was an unused substitute.
Deschamps later said that Kingsley Coman had been suffering with a “fever”.
Coman, Ibrahima Konate and Raphael Varane trained indoors and away from the main group on Friday, though an official reason was not given.
The World Cup final takes place at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday, with kick-off 3pm GMT, 10am ET, 7am PT.
Argentina are out to win the trophy for the first time in 36 years on what it expected to be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup appearances, while France are seeking to become only the third side to retain their world crown.
[ad_2]
