Flamini and Cisse out, Gomis in France's EURO squad

France coach Raymond Domenech omitted striker Djibril Cisse from his final 23-man squad for next month's EURO 2008, preferring inexperienced Bafetimbi Gomis instead.

كتب : Omar AbdelAziz

الخميس، 29 مايو 2008 - 12:28
France coach Raymond Domenech omitted striker Djibril Cisse from his final 23-man squad for next month's EURO 2008, preferring inexperienced Bafetimbi Gomis instead.

Domenech decided to give Gomis the nod after the Saint Etienne striker's sensational debut on Wednesday, when he scored twice in the 2-0 win over Ecuador.

Cisse, who played 35 times for France, scored 16 Ligue1 goals last season with Marseille, so did 22-year-old Gomis with Saint Etienne.

Other casualties included AC Milan's new signing Mathieu Flamini, Lyon winger Hatem ben Arfa, Roma defender Philippe Mexes and PSG keeper Mickael Landreau.

The absence of striker David Trezeguet was imminent as the Juventus hitman did not make Domenech's provisional squad.

France Squad

Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Sebastien Frey (Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Lyon), Francois Clerc (Olympique Lyon), Sebastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyon), William Gallas (Arsenal), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Lillian Thuram (Barcelona).

Midfielders: Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Samir Nasri (Olympique Marseille).

Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Bafetimbi Gomis (St Etienne), Thierry Henry (Barcelona).