Lukeba called in for injured Disasi by France

Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, called up by France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday as an injury replacement, has been forced to withdraw with a thigh problem.

Axel Disasi of Chelsea. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, called up by France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday as an injury replacement, has been forced to withdraw with a thigh problem.

Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, 20, will take Disasi’s place for a Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands on Friday, and a Scotland friendly the following Tuesday.

Disasi had been a replacement for Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, who has a hamstring problem.

Ex-Lyon player Lukeba, who had been training with Thierry Henry’s France Under-21 team, has gotten his first call-up to the senior side.

Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has also been called up in place of injured Jules Kounde, who suffered a knee injury in Barcelona’s 2-2 draw on Sunday at Granada in La Liga.

The 20-year-old Gusto, who joined Chelsea in January from Lyon, is yet to make his senior international debut.

Disasi, a close-season signing from Monaco, has made four appearances for France.