Desailly must wait for France record

Chelsea stalwart Marcel Desailly must wait before he can win a record 104th international cap after France coach Jacques Santini left him out of his squad to face Malta and Israel in upcoming European championship qualifiers.

France, the defending European champions, face the Maltese on March 29 at home in the northern town of Lens and meet Israel on April 2 in Palermo, Sicily.

But they will do so without 34-year-old Desailly and Chelsea clubmate Emmanuel Petit, neither of whom Santini called upon in unveiling a 20-man squad Tuesday which welcomes back goalkeeper Fabien Barthez of Manchester United after injury as well as understudy Gregory Coupet of Lyon.

The two return after Ulrich Rame of Bordeaux and Nantes' Mickael Landreau were called upon for the friendly defeat to the Czech Republic on February 12, the side's first loss since the World Cup.

Auxerre defender Philippe Mexes, seen as Desailly's replacement, and Bayern Munich's Willy Sagnol, injured for the Czech encounter, make a return while Monaco midfielder Jerome Rothen gets a first call at 24.

"It's a dream to be called into the squad," said Rothen, who has helped propel Monaco to the top of the French first division this season.

Desailly played just eight minutes against the Czechs in equalling the retired Didier Deschamps's record of 103 international caps for Les Bleus - but the Ghanaian-born star will have to wait for now to move ahead of his country's World Cup-winning skipper.

Petit has hardly played for Chelsea in the past six weeks and his absence from the national squad therefore comes as no surprise.

Dropping out after being in the squad to face the Czechs are Ludovic Giuly of Monaco and Jean-Alain Boumsong of Auxerre.

A new ace in Santini's pack - he played briefly against the Czechs and retains his place - is Sochaux midfielder Benoit Pedretti, one of six French-based stars.

France top Group One after three matches, all won, against Cyprus, Slovenia and Malta.

Goalkeepers: Fabien Barthez (Manchester United/Eng), Gregory Coupet (Lyon)

Defenders: William Gallas (Chelsea/Eng), Bixente Lizarazu (Bayern Munich/Ger), Philippe Mexes (Auxerre), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich/Ger), Mikael Silvestre (Manchester United/Eng), Lilian Thuram (Juventus/Ita)

Midfielders: Claude Makelele (Real Madrid/Spa), Benoit Pedretti (Sochaux), Robert Pires (Arsenal/Eng), Jerome Rothen (Monaco), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal/Eng), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid/Spa)

Strikers: Djibril Cisse (Auxerre), Sidney Govou (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Arsenal/Eng), Steve Marlet (Fulham/Eng), David Trezeguet (Juventus Turin/Ita), Sylvain Wiltord (Arsenal/Eng)