Hard blow for the French football team. Marie-Antoinette Katoto, injured on Thursday during the Women’s Euro match against Belgium (2-1), is forfeited for the rest of the tournament, a source with knowledge of the file told Agence France-Presse on Friday. . The striker of the Blues, left exams this Friday, suffers from a serious knee injury, with in particular a rupture of the anterior ligament and a cracked meniscus.
In the post-match conference, coach Corinne Deacon had mentioned a “sprain”, without being able to specify the severity of the injury and the duration of unavailability.
The number 9 was forced out after a quarter of an hour against Belgium, injured in the right knee in the absence of any contact with an opponent. Taking care not to set foot on the ground, she was examined at the level of the right knee by the doctor of the Blues then joined the stand on crutches after half-time. She had been hit in the same knee during training the day before the match, after a shock with a teammate.
“MAK” is the star centre-forward of the France team, qualified for the quarter-finals scheduled for July 23 even before the last match of the first round against Iceland on Monday. At 23, the Paris SG player is presented as one of the headliners of the English Euro, expectations in particular linked to her efficiency this season: her personal total amounts to 48 goals, including 16 with the selection, after 15 games, all started as starters.
The regulations of UEFA, the organizing body of the Euros, only allow the replacement of a goalkeeper “in the event of injury or serious illness” during the tournament. Regarding outfield players, on the other hand, no substitution is allowed after the first match.