Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante was injured in the warm-up before France’s game against Iceland yesterday evening. The 27-year-old was in the starting line up for the Euro 2020 qualifier before having to pull out.
Manager Didier Deschamps played down the seriousness of the issue, saying that the midfielder was withdrawn as a precaution with concerns over a groin injury:
“He felt a pain in the adductor [groin] muscle. He had a feeling where he did not feel comfortable to play. I made the decision [to pull him from the squad] because maybe it could get even worse. I knew Moussa would be ready. I do not think it’s too serious for NG [Kante], but I do not have an answer tonight.”
Fans on Twitter are not particularly impressed with France’s decision to call up Kante in the first place, considering his recent injury issues, but they are hopeful that the problem isn’t that serious:
Sounds like it’s not too bad, just let him go back to chelsea
— Samuel Wightwick (@SWightwick) October 12, 2019
Lamps warned him……..
— TheChelseaMogul (@TheChelseaMogul) October 12, 2019
We should shut Kante down. We need him 1000% fit
— Iby (@Blkmamba11) October 12, 2019
We need to stop letting our players go on international break idk when it happened but everyone is injury prone all of a sudden
— Tim Morera (@Tim_Morera) October 12, 2019
Kante go and carry your bags and leave for Chelsea immediately
— jide slide (@jide_olafare) October 12, 2019
Lamps asked this guy not to call him up so he could recover but your man took it as a slight ??♂️
— Albert Kweku Mensah (@kwekumensah__) October 12, 2019
Genuinely feel sorry for Kante, injury after injury ?
— Mina (@minatheblue25) October 12, 2019
This international break is coursing us more ham done good and I hate it
— kwabena kissi osei sasu (@sasu_kwabena) October 12, 2019
Please leave this man alone till he is fit.
— E L V I S (@pheenum_) October 12, 2019
Let him just come back for a proper check up. Gush! I hate international break.
— King In The North ???? (@Okaraemmanuel) October 12, 2019
Kante missed the start of the season with a knee injury. He then returned to face Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup final before being sidelined once again with an ankle problem.
It remains to be seen if this Adductor injury makes him a doubt for Chelsea’s next game. Frank Lampard’s side face Newcastle next Saturday at Stamford Bridge.