Marie-Antoinette Katoto: France striker to miss rest of Euro 2022 due to serious knee injury | Football News

France have been handed a serious blow to their Euro 2022 credentials with striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto set to miss the rest of the tournament after picking up a serious knee injury against Belgium.

Katoto, who is one of France’s key players with 26 goals in 32 caps for her country, limped out of Thursday’s 2-1 victory over Belgium in the first half and it has transpired she has damaged her meniscus and an internal ligament.

The injury blow is the latest in a string of long-term knee-related injuries suffered by players, with Spain’s Alexia Putellas and Northern Ireland’s Simone Magill suffering similar setbacks in recent weeks.

France have already qualified for the quarter-finals after two group-stage victories from two games, but they will have to navigate the knockout stages without their key player.

Corinne Diacre’s side have an all-star attack at their disposal, with Katoto’s club team-mates Sandy Baltimore and Kadidiatou Diani – who scored against Belgium – also in their squad.

Putellas could be out for a year with knee injury

Spain and Barcelona midfielder Putellas, the current Ballon d’Or holder, will miss nearly a year of football after undergoing surgery on a ligament tear.

The team announced last week that Putellas had injured her knee during a training session in the build-up to Euro 2022, a tournament they went into as one of the favourites.

“According to the club’s medical services… Alexia Putellas has been successfully operated on Tuesday morning at the Hospital de Barcelona for the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament,” Barcelona said. “The estimated time of absence is between 10 and 12 months.”

Spain will hope Putellas is fit in time for the women’s World Cup, which begins in July next year in Australia and New Zealand.

Magill: I knew my Euros was over straight away

Northern Ireland striker Simone Magill speaking to Sky Sports News after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament:

“I felt a bit of contact through the back and I’ve put my left leg out to try and stabilise and balance [me] but unfortunately the knee kind of buckled inwards and the ACL just ruptured from that. When it happened, I knew my tournament was over.

“The amount of times I’ll go down in a game and I’ll just bounce straight back up… whereas with this one I felt something go straight away and I knew it was serious. I had a good idea of what it was.

“I said to the medical team ‘get me off’ because I knew the severity of the situation and unfortunately I was right. I’m just trying to be positive about the whole situation, that’s all I can do.

Follow Euro 2022 across Sky Sports

Keep up with all the latest from Euro 2022 across Sky Sports and Sky Sports News this summer.

Coverage will be anchored by Sky Sports WSL presenter Caroline Barker, alongside Jessica Creighton and Kyle Walker. Meanwhile, Karen Carney, Sue Smith, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk and Laura Bassett will give analysis throughout the tournament.

They will also be joined by experienced England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley and Manchester City defender Esme Morgan.

The pundits and presenters will work from the Sky Sports Women’s Euro 2022 Mobile Presentation Bus, which will follow the Sky Sports News team around the country to the various stadiums where matches are being played.

In addition, Sky Sports’ Essential Football Podcast will be rebranded for the tournament to Sky Sports Women’s Euros Podcast from 21 June. Hosted by Charlotte Marsh and Anton Toloui, it will feature exclusive news and player interviews in addition to a strong programme line-up around the tournament.

The schedule…

Group stage:

Wednesday July 6

Group A: England 1-0 Austria

Thursday July 7

Group A: Norway 4-1 Northern Ireland

Friday July 8

Group B: Spain 4-1 Finland

Group B: Germany 4-0 Denmark

Saturday July 9

Group C: Portugal 2-2 Switzerland

Group C: Netherlands 1-1 Sweden

Sunday July 10

Group D: Belgium 1-1 Iceland

Group D: France 5-1 Italy

Monday July 11

Group A: Austria 2-0 Northern Ireland

Group A: England 8-0 Norway

Tuesday July 12

Group B: Denmark 1-0 Finland

Group B: Germany 2-0 Spain

Wednesday July 13

Group C: Sweden vs Switzerland – kick off 5pm, Bramall Lane

Group C: Netherlands v Portugal – kick off 8pm, Leigh Sports Village

Thursday July 14

Group D: Italy1-1 Iceland

Group D: France 2-1 Belgium

Friday July 15

Group A: Northern Ireland v England – kick off 8pm, St Mary’s

Group A: Austria vs Norway – kick off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium

Saturday July 16

Group B: Finland vs Germany – kick off 8pm, Stadium MK

Group B: Denmark vs Spain – kick off 8pm, London Community Stadium

Sunday July 17

Group C: Switzerland vs Netherlands – kick off 5pm, Bramall Lane

Group C: Sweden vs Portugal – kick off 5pm, Leigh Sports Village

Monday July 18

Group D: Iceland vs France – kick off 8pm, New York Stadium

Group D: Italy vs Belgium – kick off 8pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium

Knockout phase

Quarter-finals

Wednesday July 20

Quarter-final 1: Winners Group A v Runners-up Group B – kick off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium

Thursday July 21

Quarter-final 2: Winners Group B v Runners-up Group A – kick off 8pm, London Community Stadium

Friday July 22

Quarter-final 3: Winners Group C v Runners-up Group D – kick off 8pm, Leigh Sports Village

Quarter-final 4: Winners Group D v Runners-up Group C – kick off 8pm, New York Stadium

Semi-finals

Tuesday July 26

Semi-final 1: Winners quarter-final 1 v Winners quarter-final 3 – kick off 8pm, Bramall Lane

Wednesday July 27

Semi-final 2: Winners quarter-final 2 v Winners quarter-final 4 – kick-off 8pm, Stadium MK

Final

Sunday July 31

Winners semi-final 1 v Winners semi-final 2 – kick off 5pm, Wembley