Saha forced out of France squad by knee injury

Louis Saha has pulled out of the France squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania because of a knee injury.

A statement on the French Football Federation website announced the Manchester United striker had left the team training camp in Clairefontaine.

Coach Raymond Domenech will not call for a replacement, meaning more frustration for Juventus star David Trezeguet, who questioned his initial omission from the party.

France visit the Faroes on Saturday before hosting Lithuania in Nantes on October 17.

The news comes after Sir Alex Ferguson called on Domenech not to take any chances with the striker.

Saha has previously suffered injuries on international duty and has only just returned from a knee injury.

The 29-year-old was forced to withdraw from the bench on Saturday just before United's game against Wigan with a swollen knee but has still joined up with France ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania.

Ferguson said: "The fact that France have called him into their squad does not mean they are going to start with him or anything like that.

"The national team doctor was the one who gave him his last operation so he knows the situation with Louis. We would expect them to handle him the right way.

"We've all got to bear in mind that the game against Roma was only his first start since February.

"He scored something like 15 goals before he got injured last season and if he had remained fit, he might have got 30, who's to say?"