France and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has suffered a minor hamstring injury on international duty, playing against Ukraine on Wednesday.
French national coach Didier Deschamps has ruled out Kante after he tweaked the muscle. Ukraine held Les Bleus to a 1-1 draw at the Stade de France stadium.
Following the ‘clinical and radiological examinations’ French Football Federation has confirmed that scans showed a ‘small lesion’ in the muscle.
“N’Golo Kante will not take part in the next two matches of the French team on Sunday in Kazakhstan and three days later in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“The Chelsea midfielder felt a pain in the hamstrings of the left thigh at the very end of the match against Ukraine on Wednesday at the Stade de France. He had clinical and radiological examinations on Thursday, which revealed a small lesion,” the French Federation confirmed in the statement.
“In consultation with Doctor Franck Le Gall, national coach Didier Deschamps has decided to put N’Golo Kante back at the disposal of his club tomorrow.
“N’Golo Kante will not be replaced. It is therefore a group of twenty-five players who will fly to Kazakhstan tomorrow morning,” the Federation said.
These are bad news for Thomas Tuchel as he heads to a busy and crucial fixtures. Chelsea has the English Premier League resumes on April 3 and then, four days later Champions League quarter-final against Porto.
Meanwhile, the Blues suffers a disadvantaged in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland. Reports suggested that Manchester United are also on the chase for the free-scoring Norwegian.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjae,r who previously worked with Haaland at Molde, has been Keeping tabs on the player.
“When you have had kids and players through as a coach, you follow them and I keep in touch with Erling,” Solskjaer said.
“It’s great to see him become the player he has become and [how] he works to improve all the time. He’s a Dortmund player – we just wish him well there and let’s see what life will bring later on.”