France coach Raymond Domenech has given his UEFA EURO 2008™ squad an injection of youth after including striker Bafétimbi Gomis and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda in his 23-man list.
Superb goals
Gomis was a surprise inclusion in Domenech's provisional 30-man squad for this week's training camp in Tignes, yet the exciting AS Saint-Etienne striker outlined his potential by scoring two superb goals on his international debut against Ecuador in Grenoble on Tuesday. That performance convinced Domenech to take the 22-year-old to Austria and Switzerland this summer in a strikeforce that includes Thierry Henry, Karim Benzema and Nicolas Anelka, but not Djibril Cissé, one of the seven casualties.
Landreau left out
Olympique de Marseille custodian Mandanda also made his senior international bow this week, replacing Sébastien Frey at half-time against the South American side. Aged 23, Mandanda has been rewarded for his fine first season at Stade Vélodrome, and takes his place alongside first-choice goalkeeper Grégory Coupet and Frey of ACF Fiorentina, with Paris Saint-Germain FC's Mickaël Landreau missing out.
Nasri included
Meanwhile, another Marseille player Samir Nasri was preferred to Olymique Lyonnais winger Hatem Ben Arfa, there was no room for FC Girondins de Bordeaux midfielder Alou Diarra or new AC Milan recruit Mathieu Flamini, while defenders Julien Escudé and Philippe Mexes were also excluded.
'Shattered dreams'
Domenech described the experience of telling the seven players they would not be part of the group for the finals as "the toughest moment of my career". He added: "When you have to tell someone that they must leave and that their dreams have been shattered, it isn't easy. I think they all understood. I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach and I had tears in my eyes; it's very, very hard. Making the decision is easy, but announcing it and seeing the reactions is very hard."
France squad
Goalkeepers: Grégory Coupet (Olympique Lyonnais), Sébastien Frey (ACF Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille).
Defenders: Willy Sagnol (FC Bayern München), Lilian Thuram (FC Barcelona), William Gallas (Arsenal FC), Eric Abidal (FC Barcelona), Patrice Evra (FC Manchester United), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyonnais), François Clerc (Olympique Lyonnais), Sébastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyonnais).
Midfielders: Patrick Vieira (FC Internazionale Milano), Claude Makelele (Chelsea FC), Jérémy Toulalan (Olympique Lyonnais), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth FC), Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern München), Florent Malouda (Chelsea FC), Samir Nasri (Olympique de Marseille).
Forwards: Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyonnais), Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea FC), Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyonnais), Bafétimbi Gomis (AS Saint-Etienne).
Superb goals
Gomis was a surprise inclusion in Domenech's provisional 30-man squad for this week's training camp in Tignes, yet the exciting AS Saint-Etienne striker outlined his potential by scoring two superb goals on his international debut against Ecuador in Grenoble on Tuesday. That performance convinced Domenech to take the 22-year-old to Austria and Switzerland this summer in a strikeforce that includes Thierry Henry, Karim Benzema and Nicolas Anelka, but not Djibril Cissé, one of the seven casualties.Landreau left out
Olympique de Marseille custodian Mandanda also made his senior international bow this week, replacing Sébastien Frey at half-time against the South American side. Aged 23, Mandanda has been rewarded for his fine first season at Stade Vélodrome, and takes his place alongside first-choice goalkeeper Grégory Coupet and Frey of ACF Fiorentina, with Paris Saint-Germain FC's Mickaël Landreau missing out.
Nasri included
Meanwhile, another Marseille player Samir Nasri was preferred to Olymique Lyonnais winger Hatem Ben Arfa, there was no room for FC Girondins de Bordeaux midfielder Alou Diarra or new AC Milan recruit Mathieu Flamini, while defenders Julien Escudé and Philippe Mexes were also excluded.
'Shattered dreams'
Domenech described the experience of telling the seven players they would not be part of the group for the finals as "the toughest moment of my career". He added: "When you have to tell someone that they must leave and that their dreams have been shattered, it isn't easy. I think they all understood. I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach and I had tears in my eyes; it's very, very hard. Making the decision is easy, but announcing it and seeing the reactions is very hard."
France squad
Goalkeepers: Grégory Coupet (Olympique Lyonnais), Sébastien Frey (ACF Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille).
Defenders: Willy Sagnol (FC Bayern München), Lilian Thuram (FC Barcelona), William Gallas (Arsenal FC), Eric Abidal (FC Barcelona), Patrice Evra (FC Manchester United), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyonnais), François Clerc (Olympique Lyonnais), Sébastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyonnais).
Midfielders: Patrick Vieira (FC Internazionale Milano), Claude Makelele (Chelsea FC), Jérémy Toulalan (Olympique Lyonnais), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth FC), Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern München), Florent Malouda (Chelsea FC), Samir Nasri (Olympique de Marseille).
Forwards: Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyonnais), Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea FC), Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyonnais), Bafétimbi Gomis (AS Saint-Etienne).
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