Europe 1 with AFP 3:31 p.m., June 4, 2022

The defender of the France team, Raphaël Varane, has withdrawn for the next three League of Nations football matches which await the Blues in June.

Injured in the thigh on Friday against Denmark (1-2), he was replaced by Ibrahima Konaté, summoned for the first time. 

Blues defender Raphaël Varane, injured in the left thigh during France-Denmark on Friday, has withdrawn for the next three matches of the season in the League of Nations.

He is replaced by novice Ibrahima Konaté, the French Federation announced on Saturday.

"Victim of muscle pain in his left thigh, the Manchester United defender underwent tests this Saturday which confirmed his unavailability for the last three matches of the season", specified the FFF, indicating that Konaté, finalist of the Champions League with Liverpool, would be "present Sunday in Split (Croatia) for the training before the match", before facing the Croats Monday evening (8:45 p.m.).

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Varane, vice-captain of the Blues, had to leave his place at the hour of play against Denmark at the Stade de France, replaced by William Saliba.

The Blues, who were leading at that time 1-0, then fell apart, cracking in the last minutes against the Danes, winners 2-1 for this first day of the League of Nations. 

Varane sidelined between 10 and 15 days 

The former Real Madrid captain (29 years old, 86 caps) has not been spared from injuries this season: long affected in a thigh as well as in the adductors in the fall, he had missed the November rally with the Blues.

This new injury should leave him on the floor between 10 and 15 days, according to the exams passed on Saturday, AFP learned from a source close to the France group. 

At 23, Ibrahima Konaté will finally discover the France group, after a promising season with the Liverpool Reds.

"He is in a team that is playing for the title in the Premier League and in the Champions League, he has an interesting profile", Didier Deschamps underlined about the defender, when his list was announced.

However, the coach preferred to summon OM defender William Saliba.

In addition to the trip to Croatia, the French face Austria in Vienna on June 10, then again Croatia, in Saint-Denis, on June 13.