Paris, Nov. 16 (BNA): Fears of injury to the French World Cup champion continued, as striker Christopher Nkunku was injured in a training session for the team and was replaced by Randall Kolo Mwani on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Nkunku fell clutching his left leg after a challenge from midfielder Eduardo Camavinga during training moments before the end of Tuesday night’s session.
The federation did not say what Nkunku’s injury was, but pictures showed him grabbing his left knee after the tackle and then limping, according to the Associated Press.
Nkunku was named Bundesliga Player of the Year last season after scoring 35 goals overall and providing 14 assists for Leipzig. He has scored 17 goals in 23 matches this season.
Kolo Muani has made a fine start since joining Eintracht Frankfurt from French Cup-winning Nantes in the off-season. He participated in two international matches with the French national team.
Coach Didier Deschamps is already missing midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, who helped France win the World Cup four years ago. Midfielder Presnel Kempembe withdrew on Monday after failing to recover adequately from a six-week layoff with a hamstring injury.
Deschamps is waiting anxiously to see if his best defender, Raphael Varane, is fit to face Australia on November 22 exactly a month after he left Manchester United with a hamstring injury.
There is also lingering doubt about Karim Benzema’s fitness. Since winning the Ballon d’Or last month, Benzema has played less than 30 minutes for Real Madrid behind the bench in a Champions League match.
But he gave reassuring news in an excerpt from an interview with L’Equipe TV, which is due to be broadcast on Sunday.
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