France's Euro 2016 preparations took a knock on Tuesday with key defender Raphael Varane ruled out injured of next month's tournament on home soil with his place taken by Adil Rami.

Coach Didier Deschamps had feared the worst after Real Madrid announced Sunday that the 23-year-old Varane, capped 29 time for France, had suffered a serious left thigh injury.

And scans confirmed his fears and the diagnosis of Real Madrid team doctors that the player would be out of action for up to three weeks.