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#INSERT type:image caption:Lassana Diarra is in fine form despite Marseille's struggles so far. END# Marseille midfielder Lassana Diarra has been recalled to the France squad by manager Didier Deschamps, more than five years after his last international appearance. Diarra, 30, has been rewarded for his impressive performances in a struggling Marseille side, while 22-year-old Villarreal goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, has been called up for the first time. Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho and Rennes attacker Paul-Georges Ntep have also earned recalls for the friendlies against Armenia in Nice on Oct. 8 and Denmark in Copenhagen three days later. But there is no place in the Euro 2016 hosts' squad for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, Inter Milan midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia or West Ham's Dimitri Payet. Former Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Diarra was without a club last season, but ex-France boss Raymond Domenech suggested last week that it would be hard for Deschamps to ignore his form since joining Marseille. Two years ago, Diarra had told L'Equipe he felt his time with France was over, but Deschamps said at a news conference: "Lass is having a really good start to the season. "He has international experience because he's played at some big European clubs, and he has around 30 caps for France too. "He plays in a strategic position in front of the defence that he knows well. That's why I picked him. "He should be there to bring us the experience that he's had in this very important role." Diarra, who made his debut for France in 2007, earned the last of his 28 caps in a friendly against Norway in August 2010. Meanwhile, Deschamps said he had decided to give Areola his chance after he conceded only four times in six league starts for the Liga side. "He's playing very well with Villarreal, who are top of the Spanish league," he added. "Villarreal have one of the best defences in Spain, so it's logical on a sporting level that he might be called up today." The former Monaco and Marseille boss also said he had taken note of Hatem Ben Arfa's stunning goals for Nice in their 4-1 win at Saint-Etienne on Sunday. "I know Hatem well because I was his coach for three years [at Marseille]," he said. "He's always scored goals like that, so I can only encourage him to maintain this level of performance, to have consistency. But obviously we're following his performances." France squad: Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (Villarreal), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille). Defenders: Patrice Evra (Juventus), Christophe Jallet (Lyon), Eliaquim Mangala (Manchester City), Sagna (Manchester City), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Benoit Trémoulinas (Sevilla), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea). Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace), Lassana Diarra (Marseille), Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint-Germain), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Morgan Schneiderlin (Manchester United), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle). Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Anthony Martial (Manchester United), Paul-Georges Ntep (Rennes), Mathieu Valbuena (Lyon).
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