Article

Abidal returns to French national team

26 May 2011 16:41

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has been selected in the France squad for the first time since surgery to remove a tumour from his liver.

Abidal had the surgery in March and he missed almost two months of football before making his comeback in a Champions League match against Real Madrid on May 3.

The 31-year-old left back has now been named in Laurent Blanc's 26-man squad for their upcoming Euro 2012 qualifier with Belarus on June 3 before friendlies against Ukraine on June 6 and Poland three days later.

Blanc said he was delighted to see Abidal - currently preparing for the Champions League final against Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday - back in French colours.

"I left him a message about 10 days ago to tell him I was really happy to see him back on a football pitch," Blanc said.

"Hopefully he will be given a starting spot, he is coming back to form."

"He will be delighted to return to the squad and he can bid for a starting spot at left-back."

"It is amazing what he has already achieved, this is a good surprise. His return to the squad will boost his morale."

Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra is injured, and he is replaced by Sochaux midfielder Marvin Martin, while Lyon star Yoann Gourcuff is also missing with a knock.

France squad:

Goalkeepers: Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (Barcelona), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Younes Kaboul (Tottenham), Adil Rami (Lille), Anthony Reveillere (Lyon), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Mamadou Sakho (Paris St Germain).

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Lille), Abou Diaby (Arsenal), Alou Diarra (Bordeaux), Yann M'Vila (Rennes), Samir Nasri (Arsenal), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Blaise Matuidi (Saint-Etienne), Marvin Martin (Sochaux).

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kevin Gameiro (Lorient), Guillaume Hoarau (Paris St Germain), Jeremy Menez (Roma), Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan), Loic Remy (Marseille), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille).

Info

Belarus

W L D W W

1 - 1

France

L W L W D

Competition

Half-time: 1 - 1
Full-time: 1 - 1

Venue: Stadyen Dynama (Minsk)
Attendance: 26500

Goals

E. Abidal (OG) 20'	1 - 0
	1 - 1	22' F. Malouda

Lineups

Player	Bookings
S. Veremko	86'
S. Omelyanchuk
V. Trubila
M. Bordachev
I. Shitov
D. Verkhovtsov
A. Martynovich
A. Putsila
J. Tigorev
T. Kalachev	33'
A. Voronkov
Coach: B. Stange

Player	Bookings
H. Lloris
E. Abidal	20'
B. Sagna	25'
M. Sakho
A. Rami	19'
A. Diarra
F. Malouda	22'
F. Ribéry
S. Nasri
A. Diaby
K. Benzema
Coach: L. Blanc

Substitutes

Player	Bookings
S. Kislyak for A. Putsila 86'
V. Hleb for T. Kalachev 90'
P. Sitko
A. Bychenok
M. Zhavnerchik
Y. Zhevnov

Player	Bookings
L. Rémy for A. Diaby 73'
S. Mandanda
P. Evra
Y. Kaboul
Y. Cabaye
Y. M'Vila
K. Gameiro

Friday 24 May

16:59	Shechter grateful for Swansea support
16:44	Townsend charged over betting rules
16:43	Reading release six players
16:41	Monaco splash out for Moutinho, Rodriguez
16:32	Rummenigge: Bayern not complacent
16:07	Giroud seeks improvement
16:04	Palermo chief welcomes bids for Ilicic
16:03	AZ bolster defensive stocks
16:00	Lambert: Benteke needs to stay at Villa
15:52	Andreolli poised for Inter return
15:22	Bianchi: Boca players tired
15:05	Cech: Mourinho a great manager
14:52	Blatter outlines racism resolution aim
14:37	Manchester City players coy on Pellegrini
14:14	Marseille priced out of Damiao move
13:55	McAuley: West Brom could have done more
13:52	Osman extends Everton stay
13:43	Stoke reject N´Zonzi transfer request
13:19	Carragher retirement ´sad´, says Mourinho
12:58	Manolev happy to help
12:37	Europa league winners to get Champions League spot
11:22	First goal bittersweet for Azpilicueta
11:06	La Liga Preview: Real Sociedad v Real Madrid
10:54	La Liga Preview: Pressure on for Euro spots
10:46	Ligue 1 Preview: Victory only hope for Troyes
10:40	MLS preview: Second place up for grabs
10:37	Coentrao heading for Real exit
10:26	Coppa Italia Preview: Roma v Lazio
10:02	Ligue 1 Preview: Lorient v PSG
08:56	Malaga win was catalyst, says Klopp
07:10	Milan finalise Zapata switch
07:01	Montella braced for Jovetic departure
06:20	Simeone will not block Falcao exit
05:58	Van Gaal talks down Netherlands´ chances
05:49	Coupet doubts Monaco´s potential
05:47	Man City edge Chelsea in thrilling friendly
05:41	Torres wants Mourinho at Chelsea
04:57	Copa Libertadores Wrap: Atletico Mineiro snatch late draw
04:49	Galliani dismisses Berlusconi row reports
04:37	San Lorenzo renew Coloccini pursuit
04:29	Benteke sparks fears of Villa exit
04:27	Weidenfeller: We can be heroes
04:18	Injured Messi called up by Argentina
04:13	Cleverley taking inspiration from Spain
03:16	Kellermann proud of resilient Wolfsburg
03:05	Robben hails dominant Germany
02:49	Europe the benchmark for Zaccheroni´s Japan
01:39	Osieck backs Schwarzer to shine

Thursday 23 May

23:59	Van der Gun shoots Utrecht to away win
23:39	Firmino double fires Hoffenheim to win
21:41	Davies hails ´great´ debut season
21:17	Foster happy with eighth-placed finish
20:15	Wickham eyeing first team
19:44	UEFA to announce Europa League incentive
19:31	Fonte looking to hit the ground running
19:21	Hodgson keen to hand Jones defensive role
18:43	Onuoha: Keep the faith with QPR owners
18:09	Karagounis praises Fulham fans
18:07	McDermott: Byram keen on Leeds stay
18:02	Martinez´s Wigan future to be decided next week
17:47	Rodriguez: I think I will leave Porto
17:44	Erbes ´relaxed´ ahead of Newell´s clash
17:20	CSL Preview: Shandong Luneng eye top spot
17:18	Kwakman to leave Groningen
16:45	Werder Bremen complete Petersen signing
16:28	Mancini Inter return is possible, says Moratti
16:20	Baines: Everton must progress without Moyes
16:07	Nicollin: Cabella worth 100 million euros
15:56	Demel proud of West Ham´s home record
15:49	Debuchy: Premier League is difficult
15:21	Pazzini to miss start of next season
15:09	Ferdinand extends Manchester United deal
14:23	Pulis thanks fans after Stoke departure
14:07	Berlin to host 2015 UEFA Champions League final
14:04	Werder face Dutt wait
13:43	Finke appointed Cameroon boss
13:38	Wilshere keen to improve after comeback season
13:08	Vieira excited by MLS franchise
13:04	Rodgers wants quick decision on Carroll future
12:55	Kagawa wants European success
11:21	Mata hopes for Mourinho arrival
10:44	Welbeck disappointed with goals tally
10:36	UEFA Champions League Preview: Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich
10:23	Zabaleta excited by Pellegrini
09:53	Ramos: Bale is ´Real Madrid-quality´
08:59	Hart urges City to go forward
05:27	Copa Libertadores Wrap: Santa Fe earn away win
05:24	Fiorentina reject Jovetic rumours
05:16	Piszczek set for post-season surgery
04:48	Adriano signs Barca extension
04:33	International Friendly: Venezuela 2 El Salvador 1
04:22	Bundesliga chief slams Qatar World Cup scheduling
03:52	Gignac wants Barton to stay
02:35	Ramsey, Walcott hail Wenger´s achievements
02:20	Loew regrets timing of German finale

Wednesday 22 May

20:56	Mourinho and Ronaldo given two-match bans
20:48	AFC Champions League Wrap: Lekhwiya hold on to progress
20:37	Thomas, Jara released by West Brom
20:16	Martinez to decide future
20:04	Pearce: Championship will not hold back McCarthy
19:05	Pulis: I understand Stoke´s decision
18:39	Vidic reflects on ´amazing´ season
18:17	Bale: Spurs will bounce back
17:56	Petrov to become academy coach at Aston Villa
17:56	De Laurentiis begins search for Mazzarri replacement
17:52	New York City FC appoint Reyna
17:50	Pardew: We should try emulate Liverpool
17:20	Ribery: Bayern stronger than Dortmund
17:04	Conte building for the future at Juventus
16:52	Bundesliga Play-off Preview: Hoffenheim v Kaiserslautern
16:52	Ibrahimovic coy on PSG future
16:33	Goetze to miss Champions League final
16:22	Giroud wants better European showing from Arsenal
16:07	Chelsea´s England players to leave tour early
16:05	Fiorentina capture Yakovenko
15:25	Pellegrini and Malaga to part company
15:04	Fulham sign Boateng
14:50	Green wants first-team football at QPR
14:12	Britton set for surgery
14:03	Neville interested in Everton job
13:42	Holloway: Brighton incident motivated Palace players
13:36	Rodgers confident of keeping Suarez at Liverpool
13:25	Eredivisie Preview: Twente v Utrecht
13:21	Etherington praises Pulis´ work at Stoke
13:17	Vlaar excited for new season at Aston Villa
12:01	Badstuber sidelined for 10 months after knee surgery
11:21	Clichy: Manchester City were right to sack Mancini
11:10	Cole set for West Ham departure
10:27	Lampard: It was tough under Benitez
10:11	Mourinho branded a ´failure´
06:44	Carroll out of England squad
05:37	Nasri throws support behind Pellegrini
05:07	Kewell unhappy with Australia omission
04:58	Messi: Neymar would be a wonderful addition
01:22	Doll: Dortmund are not underdogs

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