Mbappe still in sickbay

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AFP) — Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of France’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Iceland and Turkey and “needs more time” to recover from a thigh injury, coach Didier Deschamps said on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward has not started a game since August.

France, which sits second in Group H, visits third-placed Iceland on Friday before hosting group leaders Turkey on Monday.

“He left for the simple reason that he wasn’t ready,” said Deschamps.

The France boss added that Mbappe “will need more time” and “wasn’t comfortable.”

Borussia Moenchengladbach striker Alassane Plea, who made his only previous international appearance in a friendly against Uruguay last November, replaced Mbappe in the squad.

World Cup-winner Mbappe initially returned with substitute appearances against Bordeaux last month and Galatasaray last week, but PSG coach Thomas Tuchel then said he “needed more treatment” before he missed the win over Angers.