French defenders Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate are the latest players to succumb to a ‘flu virus sweeping through the defending champions’ squad ahead of Sunday’s World Cup Final.
Varane, of Manchester United, and Liverpool defender Konate both played as Didier Deschamps’ team beat Morocco on Wednesday night to set up this weekend’s final clash with Argentina.
However it is understood that both players woke up with mild cold and ‘flu symptoms on Friday morning and will now be isolated and monitored over the next 24 hours.
Another defender, Dayot Upamecano, and midfielder Adrien Rabiot, went down with the illness earlier this week and missed the semi-final. Reserve winger Kingsley Coman has also been sick.
The French camp have put the sickness bug down to air conditioning in Qatar.
They are not the first team to complain about this, as Brazil’s Antony raised the issue and the affect it was having on his side earlier in the tournament.
Meanwhile, fans have also complained about air conditioning in stadiums, revealing that they have had to wear jumpers to keep warm when attending matches.
Just days after supporters raised concerns about air conditioning, it was confirmed that World Cup chiefs turned it off an hour before England’s group match against USA which ended in a drab goalless draw.
Several England players complained afterwards that it was too hot inside the stadium during the game.
Didier Deschamps now faces an anxious wait to see whether Varane and Konate will recover in time with the final just 48 hours away.
If the pair are unable to take to the pitch, this could see Upamecano come back in, while Arsenal’s William Saliba would be another option.
Jules Kounde could also move inside having played as a right-back in Qatar, but this would likely lead to a major re-shuffle at the back, with either Benjamin Pavard or Axel Disasi coming in at full-back.
There has been talk of a return to the France squad for striker Karim Benzema after the injured Ballon D’Or winger returned to fitness. This is yet to be confirmed or denied by the France Football Federation.