The world champions now have one fewer ace up their sleeve: winger Ousmane Dembélé, one of the most-used attacking super-subs in the France squad, was declared forfeit for the rest of the Euro, after injuring a knee against Hungary on Saturday. The French Football Federation (FFF) announced two days after Les Bleus' second match, against Hungary in Budapest, that "the recovery time is incompatible with his remaining in the squad".

Curtains

The French coaching staff were confident on Saturday night and again on Sunday that the 24-year-old Barcelona winger had simply taken a knock to the back of the knee. But X-ray examinations at the hospital on Sunday evening revealed a more serious problem necessitating a rest period that extends beyond the 11 July final of the competition.

"After talking with the player and [team doctor] Dr. Franck Le Gall, Didier Deschamps has registered the withdrawal of Ousmane Dembélé," said the FFF.

This is a blow for the coach, who will have to continue his European journey with 25 players. 'Dembouz' has been his number one attacking substitute since the beginning of the qualification campaign for the Euro. The Barça striker scored against Wales (3-0) in a friendly at the beginning of June and appeared in the Euro outings against Germany, in Munich (1-0 victory), and against Hungary at the Ferenc Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Coman in the wings

Deschamps will now likely turn to Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, who has yet to play at this Euro, for late-game impact up front. The Paris Saint-Germain youth academy product should be fresh and raring to go; he didn't come on in the very defensive game against Germany and was in the stands against Hungary after leaving the squad for a day to attend the birth of his third child.

The coach has other attacking options, however, in the form of Marcus Thuram and Thomas Lemar, as well as centre-forwards Olivier Giroud and Wissam Ben Yedder. But the Griezmann-Benzema-Mbappé triumvirate - despite having yet to really hit their straps - are favourites to start the third group match against Portugal in Budapest on Wednesday.


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