PARIS: France’s defensive woes continued on Saturday when defender Jeremy Mathieu was ruled out of the Euro 2016 finals with a calf injury, coach Didier Deschamps’s third backline setback in a month.

Barcelona’s versatile defender Mathieu is being replaced in the squad by Samuel Umtiti of Olympique Lyonnais.

Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane was also ruled out with a thigh injury and Deschamps had omitted Mamadou Sakho after the Liverpool defender’s failed drugs test.

Sakho’s provisional 30-day suspension, however, will not be extended by UEFA, according to L’Equipe, meaning Deschamps would be free to include him before the May 31 deadline.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016