Trio receive first France call-up

Steve Mandanda, Gaël Clichy and Jérémy Menez have received first call-ups for France as Raymond Domenech's side play warm-up games against DR Congo and Spain.

Two squads
Domenech has called up a 36-man squad with a view to playing a reserve team for an unofficial international match against the Congolese in Marbella on Tuesday 5 February, and a senior team against Spain in Malaga the following day. "The squads for the two games will be known on Monday," the coach said. With striker David Trezeguet still out of the reckoning, 20-year-old AS Monaco FC player Menez gets a first call, while Olympique de Marseille goalkeeper Mandanda has also been rewarded for his excellent form in the first half of the season. Full-back Gaël Clichy joins fellow Arsenal FC defenders Bacary Sagna and William Gallas in the squad while veterans Patrick Vieira and Lilian Thuram are included despite being short of playing time.

French squad
Goalkeepers: Grégory Coupet (Olympique Lyonnais), Mickaël Landreau (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Sebastien Frey (ACF Fiorentina), Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille).

Defenders: Eric Abidal (FC Barcelona), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyonnais), Gaël Clichy (Arsenal FC), François Clerc (Olympique Lyonnais), Julien Escudé (Sevilla FC), Patrice Evra (Manchester United FC), William Gallas (Arsenal FC), Gaël Givet (Olympique de Marseille), Philippe Mexès (AS Roma), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal FC), Willy Sagnol (FC Bayern München), Sébastien Squillaci (Olympique Lyonnais), Lilian Thuram (FC Barcelona).

Midfielders: Abou Diaby (Arsenal FC), Alou Diarra (FC Girondins de Bordeaux), Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth FC), Mathieu Flamini (Arsenal FC), Claude Makelele (Chelsea FC), Samir Nasri (Olympique de Marseille), Jérémy Toulalan (Olympique Lyonnais), Jérôme Rothen (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Patrick Vieira (FC Internazionale Milano).

Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea FC), Hatem Ben Arfa (Olympique Lyonnais), Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyonnais), Jimmy Briand (Stade Rennais FC), Djibril Cissé (Olympique de Marseille), Thierry Henry (FC Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea FC), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyonnais), Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern München), Jérémy Menez (AS Monaco FC).