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Lyon defender Franco out for six months

Olympique Lyonnais will be without France defender Corine Franco for up to six months after she suffered a serious knee injury in the 8-0 round of 32 second-leg defeat of AZ Alkmaar.

Corine Franco helped Lyon to last season's final
Corine Franco helped Lyon to last season's final ©Getty Images

Olympique Lyonnais defender Corine Franco could miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury.

The 27-year-old French international was forced off 63 minutes into the 8-0 defeat of AZ Alkmaar that clinched Lyon's place in the UEFA Women's Champions League round of 16 yesterday. Franco has been diagnosed with tears to her anterior cruciate ligaments, medial meniscus and lateral meniscus.

She is expected to be out for up to six months, but hopes to be fit should last season's runners-up again reach the final in London on 26 May as well as for the FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany that begins the following month. "I'm not used to being injured, and when that happens, I have trouble going a week without playing," Franco said.

"I think it will be very difficult to experience," she added. "I hope to return for the final of the Champions League if we succeed, and for the World Cup with France next summer." Lyon take on FC Rossiyanka in the round of 16, going to Russia on 4 November before the Stade de Gerland return six days later.

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