PARIS (AFP) - France and Ukraine go head to head in Paris on Saturday with both teams deprived of some of their star players and the top spot in Group B of Euro 2008 qualifying at stake for the winner.France will be without veteran stars Willy Sagnol, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry due to injuries.
Boss Raymond Domenech has also overlooked Euro 2000 winners, David Trezeguet and Sylvain Wiltord.
France's lack of seasoned campaigners however is less significant than the injuries to three Ukrainian strikers. Chelsea's Andrey Shevchenko and Dynamo Kiev pair Sergey Rebrov and Artem Milevski are all out of action.
These losses have left Ukrainian boss Oleg Blokhine more than a little frustrated. "We're going to have to do without three of our key players," he said.
As well as injuries to his players, he also has to face the problem that many have lost their places in the starting line-ups at their club sides.
Spartak Moscow midfielder Maxim Kalinchenko and Shakhtar Donetsk forwards Alexei Bielik and Andrey Vorobei all lost their starting berths for their clubs.
These losses have left Ukrainian boss Oleg Blokhine more than a little frustrated. "We're going to have to do without three of our key players," he said.
As well as injuries to his players, he also has to face the problem that many have lost their places in the starting line-ups at their club sides.
Spartak Moscow midfielder Maxim Kalinchenko and Shakhtar Donetsk forwards Alexei Bielik and Andrey Vorobei all lost their starting berths for their clubs.
France coach Raymond Domenech has hit out at the choice of match referee, Spain's Luis Medina Cantalejo, who played a part in the sending off of Zinedine Zidane in last year's World Cup final.