Toulalan lay-off affects Lyon and France

France and Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Jérémy Toulalan is expected to be out of action for a month after suffering a knee injury during his side's 3-1 loss at Olympique de Marseille on Sunday night.

Summer goal
The 24-year-old sustained the problem early in the game at the Stade Vélodrome in a tackle with international team-mate Samir Nasri as Marseille completed the double over the title-holders. He is likely to miss four Ligue 1 matches and the French Cup quarter-final against FC Metz, but will return before the end of the season and should be fit for UEFA EURO 2008™. The defeat broke a sequence of six straight league victories for Lyon, who lead Ligue 1 by six points from FC Girondins de Bordeaux with six games to go. Toulalan, who has been capped eleven times by France, is third in the pecking order for a central midfield role for Les Bleus behind regular pair Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira.