France’s Nations League gathering has sent Ibrahima Konaté back to Madrid before the international schedule begins, after the Real Madrid centre-back suffered a minor sprain to his right knee in training on Wednesday.
The injury was identified following an MRI examination during the France camp, which has been assembled for fixtures against Turkey, Belgium twice and Italy. Konaté will now return to the Spanish capital and remain under the care of his club.
France and Real Madrid reached the decision together after contact between their respective medical departments. The French federation said the player was being released with the agreement of the coaching staff and, following what it described as a cordial exchange between the two medical teams, would be available to Real Madrid from Thursday.
Yoro steps into the France squad
Zinedine Zidane has called up Manchester United defender Leny Yoro as Konaté’s replacement. The selection gives Yoro an opportunity to join the France group at a demanding point in its Nations League programme, with meetings across several European opponents still to come.
For Madrid, the immediate concern is the extent of Konaté’s knee problem rather than a lengthy absence: the assessment is a mild sprain. Still, his early departure is another reminder of how quickly an international camp can alter a club’s plans, even before a competitive ball has been kicked.
