Abidal to face Lens following apology

Eric Abidal will line up for Monaco in Wednesday’s Coupe de France quarter-final against Lens after apologising for his absence on Sunday.

The defender and club captain left Stade Louis II after learning he would not be in the starting XI for his side’s 1-1 draw with Lille on Sunday.

Coach Claudio Ranieri had revealed that he would be looking into the matter, but the player has since taken to Twitter to apologise.

“(I’ve had a) discussion with the vice president and coach. Everything is back in order. Apology to the players,” Abidal tweeted.

And Ranieri later explained that there was no longer an issue between himself and Abidal.

“There is no problem with Abidal,” he is quoted as saying by Eurosport. “There was a meeting with Vadim (club vice-president Vadim Vasilyev). He apologised. It is finished.

“He will play. I’m not resentful, but his apology was necessary.

“I do not expect this attitude, even if sometimes I can understand it, but the captain must always be with the team.”