Paris (AFP)

An absence of size and a newcomer: the list of Blue unveiled Thursday by Corinne Deacon reserved two surprises with the non-summons of captain Amandine Henry and the presence of young midfielder Oriane Jean-François.

The coach cited "a sporting reason" to explain the absence of Amandine Henry in the group for the qualifying matches for Euro-2022 against North Macedonia on October 23 in Orleans and Austria on October 27.

"I called her to tell her that I was not taking her at this stage to give her time to return to her best level after her injury", explained Corinne Deacon.

"The announcement did not please her obviously. I heard from the sound of her voice that it did not please her, but it shows the competitor that she is," she added.

Amandine Henry, injured at the end of August in a calf during the Champions League, had already missed the previous gathering of the Blue in September, but has since played three times with Lyon.

"She didn't expect it at all, it's shocking," Henry's agent Sonia Souid told AFP.

"She told him that her performances were below (what she usually did) and not up to the France team. It's a big blow to her head. I don't know if she try to prick her but it's a very hard message, even if we understood that no one was untouchable with Deacon ".

Henry's non-summons comes in a sensitive context after goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi's decision to withdraw from the selection and comes on top of other latent tensions, such as the very fresh relationship between Wendie Renard and the coach since she removed her armband in 2017 after taking office.

- Oriane Jean-François titled in U19 -

The presence of Oriane Jean-François is the other surprise on this list.

The 19-year-old Paris FC midfielder is called up for the first time, but the Guyanese has already made a name for herself in U19 with a European championship title.

"It's good to start injecting some young players into the group. We saw it with Melvine Malard. (Oriane Jean-François) is a very promising player," said the coach.

Melvine Malard, precisely, is again called for the October matches.

The 20-year-old Lyon striker was very restless and interesting on the left wing during her first start against Serbia.

Among the executives Wendie Renard and Grace Geyoro, absent in September like Henry due to injuries, are making their comeback, but the Blue will have to do without Bordeaux defender Eve Périsset, "positive for the Covid", announced Corinne Deacon who did not Nor did not summon the striker Ouleymata Sarr, injured with Bordeaux.

Currently undefeated and second in their qualifying group for Euro-2022 three points behind Austria, but with one game less, the French will face the North Macedonians before going to challenge the Austrians at home for a shock at the top.

"We lived very well in September (editor's note: victories in Serbia 2-0 and in North Macedonia 7-0). We made changes. Membership went well on the ground", s' is congratulated Corinne Deacon.

© 2020 AFP