France's ex-PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot will not be able to take part in Sunday's inaugural UEFA Nations League final against Spain, having tested positive for COVID-19 - paving the way for Monaco young gun Aurélien Tchouaméni to be handed a starting place.
Adrien Rabiot will not participate in the first-ever UEFA Nations League final. An announcement from the French Football Federation on Saturday put an end to the World Cup winner's chances of taking the field at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Sunday night - the Paris Saint-Germain youth academy graduate has tested positive for COVID-19 and has thus been forced to withdraw from the clash with Spain in Milan.
"As a result, and as soon as the results were known, Adrien Rabiot was placed in isolation," the FFF said in their statement. "He will not travel to Milan with his teammates."
Tchouaméni in the wings
Competition regulations are such that Rabiot cannot be replaced by coach Didier Deschamps, who will thus have to make do with a 21-man squad for the final against the 2010 World Cup winners, and the France boss could well hand a starting place to Monaco standout Tchouaméni.
The 21-year-old central midfielder, who played a key role in the principality club's run for the Ligue 1 Uber Eats title last season, impressed after coming on as a substitute in Thursday night's thrilling 3-2 semi-final win over Belgium and would be the perfect foil for the exuberantly creative Paul Pogba in the centre of Les Bleus' formation.
