Briand 'disaster' for Rennes

Jimmy Briand has been ruled out for around six months with a serious knee injury.

Striker suffers serious knee injury while training with France

Rennes have been dealt a blow with the news that striker Jimmy Briand has been ruled out for around six months with a serious knee injury sustained while training with France. Les Bleus' medical team initially diagnosed Briand as having dislocated his kneecap following a collision with goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso during a training session. But it has since emerged the 23-year-old has ruptured ligaments in his left knee and will be ruled out until the start of next season. General manager Pierre Dreossi told L'Equipe: "It is a disaster in that we still have ambitions in the championship and the Coupe de France, as well as the fact that the injury happened while he was not playing with Rennes. "It is very bad news for Jimmy, who will be absent from the pitch for a very long time." Briand's absence comes as a setback to France head coach Raymond Domenech but more so to his club side Rennes, who are seventh in Ligue 1 and still in with a decent chance of finishing in the European places. Following the news, strikers Loic Remy and Peguy Luyindula have been called up by Domenech for the squad to face Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.