France defenders Saliba, Upamecano miss training before World Cup semi-final

France faces a potential defensive crisis ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash against Spain on Tuesday, as key center-backs Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba were absent from Saturday's training session.

Saliba has been nursing a back injury for the duration of the tournament. He was rested during France's final group stage match against Norway. His availability for the crucial semi-final remains uncertain.

Details regarding Upamecano's absence from training were not immediately available. The defender has had a demanding club season with Bayern Munich, and his fitness is now a concern for the French national team.

The absence of these two crucial defenders is significant, as they both started in France's 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco. Their partnership has been instrumental in France's impressive defensive record, having conceded only two goals in their six World Cup matches thus far. This defensive solidity is only one goal better than their upcoming opponents, Spain.