Unlucky Vieira is French absentee

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PARIS, France -- France international captain Patrick Vieira has been ruled out of next month's European qualifiers against the Ukraine and Georgia with a knee injury.

The 30-year-old Inter Milan midfielder was hurt when he collided with Roma's Rodrigo Taddei in the Italian Cup final last week.

"He's totally and definitely out, we can't take him," France coach Raymond Domenech told AFP.

"We're not going to rush him, what's important is that he can play again for his club," added Domenech, who is already without striker Thierry Henry and defender Willy Sagnol.

Vieira has only recently come back from a troublesome right hamstring injury for which he had surgery.

France play at home to Ukraine and Georgia on June 2 and June 6.

France are tied on 12 points with Ukraine and Scotland at the top of Group B, but have a game in hand on the Scots. Italy are fourth in the group on 10 points, and like France have played five matches.

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