Chelsea's French defender #02 Axel Disasi celebrates after the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Chelsea at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on October 7, 2023. Chelsea won the match 4-1.- AFP Pic
Chelsea's French defender #02 Axel Disasi celebrates after the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Chelsea at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on October 7, 2023. Chelsea won the match 4-1.- AFP Pic

Paris: Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, called up by France coach Didier Deschamps on Monday as an injury replacement, has been forced to withdraw with a thigh problem.

Leipzig's Castello Lukeba, 20, will take Disasi's place for a Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands on Friday, and a Scotland friendly the following Tuesday.

Disasi had been a replacement for Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano, who has a hamstring problem.

Ex-Lyon player Lukeba, who had been training with Thierry Henry's France Under-21 team, has gotten his first call-up to the senior side.

Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has also been called up in place of injured Jules Kounde, who suffered a knee injury in Barcelona's 2-2 draw on Sunday at Granada in La Liga.

The 20-year-old Gusto, who joined Chelsea in January from Lyon, is yet to make his senior international debut.

Disasi, a close-season signing from Monaco, has made four appearances for France.