Unwell Gallas out of France training
Reuters - Wednesday 02 June 2010, 14:37
SAINT-PIERRE - Centre back
William Gallas pulled out of training at France's World Cup camp
on Wednesday because of a stomach ache, a team spokesman said.
Gallas had been a doubtful starter for the June 11-July 11
finals in South Africa because a calf muscle injury but took
part in France's first two warm-up games, against Costa Rica
last week and Tunisia on Sunday.
The defender pulled out of jogging on a beach at France's
base on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion, the spokesman
said.
Gallas later turned up at a training session at
Saint-Pierre, the island's second largest city, where France
will play China in their last game before the finals on Friday.
After jogging around the pitch a few times, however, he left
and did not take part in the session, watched by some 3,000
noisy fans and during which Sebastien Squillaci paired with Eric
Abidal in central defence.
"He (Gallas) started feeling unwell during the night, with a
sore stomach, and started running but had to stop," the
spokesman said. "This has nothing to do with his calf."
The back four has been a concern for France lately, the team
looking shaky in defence and conceding an early goal in a 2-1
win over Costa Rica last week, then again in a 1-1 draw with
Tunisia on Sunday.
So concerned about Gallas was coach Raymond Domenech that he
picked four centre backs in his 23-man squad for the World Cup,
where France will face hosts South Africa, Mexico and Uruguay in
Group A.
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