FC Nantes striker Ignatius Ganago will not play the first leg of the Europa League play-off with Juventus for the most tragic and heart-breaking of reasons, the death of his daughter.
L’Equipe report that the forward flew back to his home in Cameroon after discovering his five-year-old daughter was taken ill.
Sadly, she did not make it and has died following a short illness.
Ganago turns 24 on Thursday, which is the day that the first leg of the Europa League play-off is scheduled for at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin.
The second leg will be in France on February 23.
He is a senior Cameroon international with 11 caps and came to FC Nantes in September following experiences at OGC Nice and Lens.
So far this season, Ganago has scored four goals and provided three assists in 28 competitive games for Nantes.
FC Nantes qualified for the play-offs after finishing runners-up in their Europa League group, earning three wins and as many defeats.
Juventus dropped down into this tournament after only scraping third place in their Champions League group.