FRANCE are desperately trying to stem the flow of a flu-like virus which threatens to derail their World Cup final hopes.
Midfielder Adrien Rabiot and centre-back Dayot Upamecano were confirmed to have caught the bug before the 2-0 win over Morocco.
Both players missed that game with Rabiot staying in the hotel and Upamecano remaining on the bench for the full 90 minutes.
Winger Kingsley Coman was also said to have been feeling feverish and stayed on the bench throughout the game.
Ahead of the World Cup final with Argentina, boss Didier Deschamps said his side were taking significant precautions.
He commented: “In Doha, temperatures have fallen a little bit, you have air conditioning which is on all the time.
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“We’ve had a few cases of flu-like symptoms.
“We are trying to be careful so it doesn’t spread and players have made great efforts out on the pitch and obviously their immune systems suffer.
“Dayot Upamecano felt sick immediately after the match [against England].
“It happens when you make such an effort, your body is weakened and you are more prone to be infected by these viruses.
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“We are taking all necessary precautions, we are trying to make sure it doesn’t spread but viruses are of course infectious and we have to take precautions against it.
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“We separated him from others and Adrien as well.”
And there were even some claims that French staff believe England were responsible for passing the virus to the Les Bleus side.
The two sides met in the quarter-final on Saturday with the French running out 2-1 winners.
And French media claimed that journalists in Qatar were asked to wear masks at the request of the England camp.
There is no evidence that the bug came from the England camp.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
