Evra replaces Kurzawa in France squad

Juventus full-back Patrice Evra has been recalled to Didier Deschamps' France squad after Paris Saint-Germain's Layvin Kurzawa was ruled out with a groin concern.

Evra, 35, returns to the squad for the first time since playing the minutes in the Euro 2016 final loss to Portugal, and joins an eight-man defensive unit for a pair of internationals, according to a statement on the federation's website.

Rennes shot-stopper Benoit Costil has also been named as a last-minute replacement for PSG first-choice keeper Alphonse Areola, who will miss out with a sprained left ankle.

France hosts Sweden on Friday at the Stade de France in a Group A clash before a friendly with the Ivory Coast four days later. Deschamps' lot sit joint-top of their group with the Swedes, three points clear of the Netherlands, with Bulgaria, Belarus, and Luxembourg bringing up the rear.

Related: Martial dropped from France squad as Dembele returns for Swedish test

Capped 80 times, Evra has had an erratic French tenure since becoming first-choice left-back in 2008 following Lilian Thuram's retirement.

After wearing the captain's armband for Les Bleus for a first time in May 2010, Evra was banished from the squad for the 2010 World Cup after leading a player protest against manager Raymond Domenech and his dismissal of Nicolas Anelka.

Six years on, and Evra is very much an important player in the France set-up, joining Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny (31) and Sevilla's Adil Rami (30) as elder statesmen in a young defensive unit.

Here's a look at Deschamps' 23-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain), Steve Mandanda (Crystal Palace), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)

Defenders: Sebastien Corchia (Lille), Lucas Digne (Barcelona), Adil Rami (Sevilla), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Patrice Evra (Juventus), Djibril Sidibe (AS Monaco)

Midfielders: N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Dimitri Payet (West Ham), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Adrien Rabiot (PSG), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham)

Forwards: Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Kevin Gameiro (Atletico Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)