France has called up midfielders - Arsenal’s Abou Diaby and Chelsea’s Lassana Diarra – as injuries have robbed the Les Bleus of Thierry Henry, captain Patrick Vieira, and Franck Ribery, for their European Championship qualifier against Lithuania on March 24 in Kaunas.

Coach Raymond Domenech selected Karim Benzema, Samir Nasir and Frederic Piquionne while Juventus striker David Trezeguet has not been called.

The same squad will play a friendly against Austria at Stade de France on March 28.

The squad:
Goalkeepers: Gregory Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Paris St Germain)

Defenders: Lilian Thuram (Barcelona), William Gallas (Arsenal), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Eric Abidal (Olympique Lyon), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Philippe Mexes (AS Roma), Sebastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyon), Francois Clerc (Olympique Lyon)

Midfielders: Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Rio Mavuba (Girondins Bordeaux), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Lassana Diarra (Chelsea), Samir Nasir (Olympique Marseille)

Strikers: Djibril Cisse (Olympique Marseille), Nicolas Anelka (Bolton), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Florent Malouda (Olympique Lyon), Frederic Piquionne (Monaco), Sylvain Wiltord (Olympique Lyon).

Bookmark/Search this post with:

delicious | digg | google | yahoo | technorati