France hope to play Desailly after all

France are to give star defender Marcel Desailly a late fitness test today to try and include him in their Euro 2000 decider with Ice,land.

Chelsea believed the player would be sent back to England for treatment on a groin injury that forced him to miss their last two matches but the French have kept the former Milan player with the squad and are to try and test the groin this afternoon in a move that will anger the London club. They gave the French notice last week that the 31 year old World Cup winner was suffering from a groin injury but the French have kept him with their squad since a call up last Monday.

France must win to stand any chance of a play-off place but Ukraine and Russia are above them in Group Four and meet in Moscow at the same time tomorrow as France take on Iceland in Paris.