Soccer-France skipper Lloris to miss Nations League games due to injury

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Group D - Sporting CP v Tottenham Hotspur - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - September 13, 2022 Tottenham Hotspur's Hugo Lloris wearing a black armband following the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes

(Reuters) - France captain Hugo Lloris will miss their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Austria and Denmark due to a right thigh injury, the French federation (FFF) said on Monday, leaving the world champions with a lengthy list of absentees.

AC Milan defender Theo Hernandez was also ruled out due to a right adductor problem, with Nantes goalkeeper Alban Lafont and Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne replacing the duo in the squad.

France take on Austria on Thursday and travel to Copenhagen to play Denmark on Sunday.

Manager Didier Deschamps is already without Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, with the striker being diagnosed with two thigh injuries sustained during his side's Champions League match at Celtic this month.

Olympique de Marseille midfielder Jordan Veretout was also called up in place of the injured Boubacar Kamara, who was a replacement for fellow midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

The defending champions are at the bottom of League A Group 1 with two points from four games and face the risk of dropping down to the second tier of the competition.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)