Blanc stands by Gourcuff axe

Laurent Blanc denies he has taken a gamble by omitting Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff from France's squad for Euro 2012.

Les Bleus' head coach drafted his former Bordeaux protege into his provisional 26-man squad but left him out along with Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa when he selected his final party of 23. Marseille forward Loic Remy had already been ruled out by injury.
The decision on Gourcuff was a particular surprise to observers craving his creativity but Blanc blamed the injury problems which restricted the 25-year-old to only 13 Ligue 1 appearances, and 10 starts, in the season just finished.
The coach declined to say whether a good performance in the friendly against Iceland, which France won 3-2 with two of their goals coming after Gourcuff's 75th-minute withdrawal, would have changed things.