Euro 2024: France dealt blow as key man set to miss quarter-final clash against Portugal due to suspension

France have been dealt a blow in their Euro 2024 campaign, with key player Adrien Rabiot set to miss out on their quarter-final clash with Portugal. The former Juventus midfielder will be suspended for the match after picking up a yellow card during their win over Belgium.

Rabiot, whose contract with the Turin giants expired on June 30, tackled Jeremy Doku roughly, leading to a booking in the first half of the match.

The 29-year-old has been quite vital for the France national team, making a total of 47 caps for Les Bleus. He was not in the squad when they won the World Cup in 2018 but he was consistent in their run to the final in 2022, missing only one match due to a cold.

Euro 2024 has seen him retain his spot in the squad, starting every single match for France. However, after picking up a yellow card against Belgium in the 24th minute, he will not play against France.

The midfielder made his feelings clear on the matter, revealing how disappointed he was in himself. In a conversation with RMC Sport, he said (via GOAL):

"I'm disgusted to have taken this yellow. I find that the refereeing at the start of the match was a little limited. But I have confidence in the guys on the bench, I will be behind them."

According to a report from ESPN (via Madrid Xtra), head coach Didier Deschamps will decide to replace Rabiot with either Eduardo Camavinga or Youssouf Fofana.

The latter has a total of nine minutes for Les Bleus at the Euros, making only two appearances, both from the bench. Camavinga has also made two appearances from the bench, with nearly 50 minutes of playing time.

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France winger leaves Euro 2024 squad for personal reasons

France winger Kingsley Coman has left the Euro 2024 squad to be with his wife in Sweden, as the couple are set to have their fourth child. This was announced by the country's football federation after they were able to beat Belgium and cement their seat in the quarter-finals.

It is uncertain when he will return from Sweden, but Coman will not exactly be missed by Les Bleus.

Although he has racked up over 50 caps for his country since his professional career began, he has appeared in only one match in their Euro 2024 campaign. He played only 15 minutes in their second group-stage game against the Netherlands, which ended in a goalless draw. Every other game has seen him posted on the bench, without any real hopes for a starting berth.