France draft in Faubert for Italy

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CLAIREFONTAINE, France -- France coach Raymond Domenech has picked Julien Faubert of Bordeaux to replace injured David Trezeguet for the Euro 2008 Group B qualifier against world champions Italy on Wednesday.

Faubert, 22, was expected to join the rest of the squad at Clairefontaine training camp on Sunday evening ahead of the World Cup final repeat.

The French returned to their headquarters in the Paris suburbs after they kicked off their qualifying campaign with a convincing 3-0 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi.

Faubert earned his first cap against Bosnia last month, scoring an injury-time goal to give Les Bleus a 2-1 success in Sarajevo.

Faubert was suspended for one game because of a red card in the European under-21 championships but he could line up against the Italians on Wednesday.

Trezeguet, who is nursing a groin injury, returned to Italy on Friday.

Striker Louis Saha suffered a left ankle injury on Saturday and is doubtful for France's next outing.

If the Manchester United player has to pull out, Domenech will be left with only two options, either Sidney Govou or Sylvain Wiltord, to partner Thierry Henry up front.

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