France soccer coach Roger Lemerre left strikers Nicolas Anelka and Sylvain Wiltord out of his 18-man squad for Wednesday's match against Slovenia.
Anelka was suspended by his club Real Madrid last month for missing training, while Wiltord hasn't played in Bordeaux's last
two games after a dispute over his fitness.
Although Lemerre refused to rule out either forward for the European Championships, he said it was for the peace and harmony
of his squad that players in dispute with their clubs were omitted.
``I need people who are at ease with themselves,'' Lemerre said. ``At the moment Anelka and Wiltord need tranquility more
than anything and it'll be easier for them away from the spotlight of the national team.''
Lemerre recalled Juventus playmaker Zinedine Zidane and Monaco goalkeeper Fabien Barthez after both missed last month's 2-
0 win over Scotland because of injury.
David Trezeguet replaced Wiltord and his Monaco teammate Martin Djetou came in for injured defender Vincent Candela. Johan
Micoud, who played against Scotland in Zidane's absence, retained his place because Youri Djorkaeff is injured, and Lyon forward
Tony Vairelles returned at the expense of Monaco's Ludovic Giuly.
Lemerre told Wiltord he would have been among the 18 players picked for France's first ever meeting with Slovenia if it wasn't
for his problems with Bordeaux.
The 25-year-old striker wants to move to a foreign club at the end of the season, but he's under contract with Bordeaux for
another four years. He pulled out of a match against Sedan two weeks ago saying he was injured, producing a medical certificate
from his private doctor, but Bordeaux was unhappy because he didn't consult the club doctor.
Lemerre said he was banking on the situation being resolved quickly.
``It's not for me to be judge between clubs and players,''he said. ``I can't take sides.''
Lemerre is due to name his 22-man squad for the June 10-July 2 European Championships on May 9 or 10, and the match against
Slovenia at the Stade de France is the last chance for players to impress on the international stage.
``This game is all about getting ourselves ready for the challenges ahead,'' Lemerre said. ``We want to create a climate
of confidence that the victory in Scotland helped install.''
France squad:
Fabien Barthez (Monaco), Ulrich Rame (Bordeaux), Laurent Blanc (Inter Milan), Marcel Desailly (Chelsea), Frank Leboeuf
(Chelsea), Bixente Lizarazu (Bayern Munich), Lilian Thuram(Parma), Martin Djetou (Monaco), Didier Deschamps (Chelsea),
Patrick Vieira (Arsenal), Zinedine Zidane (Juventus), Emmanuel Petit (Arsenal), Johan Micoud (Bordeaux), Thierry Henry(Arsenal), Christophe Dugarry (Bordeaux), David Trezeguet(Monaco), Robert Pires (Marseille), Tony Vairelles (Lyon).
