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Tchouaméni to Lead France Against Israel in Nations League in Mbappé's Absence

epa11632989 Atletico's forward Anoine Griezmann (C) in action against Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni (R) during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. EPA/J.J. Guillen
epa11632989 Atletico's forward Anoine Griezmann (C) in action against Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni (R) during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. EPA/J.J. Guillen
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Tchouaméni to Lead France Against Israel in Nations League in Mbappé's Absence

epa11632989 Atletico's forward Anoine Griezmann (C) in action against Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni (R) during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. EPA/J.J. Guillen
epa11632989 Atletico's forward Anoine Griezmann (C) in action against Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni (R) during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. EPA/J.J. Guillen

Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni will captain France in its Nations League game against Israel in the absence of Kylian Mbappé, the French soccer federation said on Wednesday.
Tchouaméni has played 36 matches with France and will bring his experience to a team lacking its biggest star.
Mbappé, France’s usual captain, is nursing a minor thigh injury in Madrid. France is also without vice-captain Antoine Griezmann, who surprisingly announced the end of his international career last month. Together they led France to the 2018 World Cup title and were coach Didier Deschamps’ most influential players in recent years.
Italy has a three-point lead over France and Belgium in their Nations League group after two rounds. France plays Israel on Thursday and travels to Belgium four days later.

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Italian Banned for 10 Matches for Racist Abuse of Wolves Striker Hwang

Wolverhampton Wanderers' South Korean striker #11 Hwang Hee-chan reacts during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on September 28, 2024. (AFP)
Wolverhampton Wanderers' South Korean striker #11 Hwang Hee-chan reacts during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on September 28, 2024. (AFP)
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Italian Banned for 10 Matches for Racist Abuse of Wolves Striker Hwang

Wolverhampton Wanderers' South Korean striker #11 Hwang Hee-chan reacts during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on September 28, 2024. (AFP)
Wolverhampton Wanderers' South Korean striker #11 Hwang Hee-chan reacts during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on September 28, 2024. (AFP)

Italian defender Marco Curto has been banned for 10 matches for racially abusing South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan while playing for Como against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a pre-season friendly in July.

Curto, who is currently on loan from Como to Serie B club Cesena, will serve half of the punishment immediately with the other half suspended for two years.

"The player Marco Curto was found responsible for discriminatory behavior and sanctioned with a 10-match suspension," a FIFA spokesperson said.

"The player is ordered to render community services and undergo training and education with an organization approved by FIFA."

Wolves said the club would file a complaint with UEFA after the incident in the Spanish resort of Marbella that sparked an angry response from Hwang's teammates and led to the dismissal of winger Daniel Podence for punching a Como player.

"We welcome FIFA's decision to sanction Marco Curto following the discriminatory incident during our pre-season friendly against Como 1907," the Premier League club's Director of Football Matt Wild said in a statement.

"The suspension issued to the player sends a clear message that racism and discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated in football or society.

"Wolves will always stand firmly against racism and discrimination in any form, and we remain fully committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected and included."

Como representatives were not immediately available for comment outside business hours.

In July, while condemning racism, Como said that Curto had referred to Hwang as "Jackie Chan" - the Hong Kong movie star - after hearing the Wolves players calling the forward by his nickname, "Channy".

"As far as our club is concerned our player did not say anything in a derogatory manner," the club said. "We are disappointed that the reaction of certain Wolves players has seen the incident blown out of proportion."

At the last FIFA Congress in Bangkok in May, President Gianni Infantino launched what he described as a "global stand against racism".

The governing body promised five areas of action, including mandatory sanctions for incidents of racism in or around matches.

"Racism is a scourge that exists in our society and is one also that is infiltrated in football," Infantino told the gathering of football officials from around the world.

"For too long we were not capable of dealing with it in an appropriate way. We need to stand up and fight racism and defeat racism all together."