Mvila, Mavinga axed after night out
France midfielder Yann Mvila and defender Chris Mavinga have been dropped from Ligue 1 side Rennes' first team after spending a night out between two key under-21 European championship qualifiers.
The Breton club said the players had been suspended "until further notice", immediately ruling them out of contention for a start in Saturday's match against defending champions Montpellier.
"On the eve of a match against the French champions, and despite having a team affected by injured or suspended players, the decision to sideline Chris Mavinga and Yann Mvila from the squad was difficult but necessary," a club statement said.
"Stade Rennais FC will not tolerate irresponsible behaviour by players."
Both players were hauled in to meet club bosses on Friday morning and told that their behaviour had damaged the side's image before being informed they would now train with the development squad.
The sanctions come after French sports daily L'Equipe revealed that Mvila, Mavinga and three other players defied team orders and left the French under-21s' base in the northern city of Le Havre to go to a Paris nightspot on Saturday night.
The team had beaten Norway 1-0 the previous evening in a Euro 2013 play-off but suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Scandinavians 5-3 on Tuesday. France coach Erick Mombaerts was sacked after the loss.
The two players could yet face further punishment from the French Football Federation (FFF), which has opened disciplinary proceedings against them for bringing the game into disrepute.
The FFF previously warned Mvila about his future conduct after he refused to shake then-France coach Laurent Blanc's hand when he was substituted during the national side's quarter-final clash with Spain in Euro 2012.
