LONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Brief news from around the national
squads for Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifiers and friendly
matches:
Germany will be without half their first-choice team, including
goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, as they look to make it four wins out of
four in Group D against Cyprus.
Bernd Schneider, Lukas Podolski, Christoph Metzelder, Tim Borowski
and Sebastian Kehl are among the other names on a growing casualty
list.
'We have a lot of tired players and a lot of injured players,' team
manager Oliver Bierhoff warned. 'It would be a huge error to
underestimate Cyprus now.'
Ireland will be without Newcastle United defender Stephen Carr
against San Marino, also in Group D. Club mate Shay Given, who
missed matches against Cyprus and the Czech Republic through
injury, should start despite not having played since regaining
fitness.
Given has warned that defeat against San Marino is not an option if
Ireland want to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals after a
humiliating 5-2 defeat by Cyprus last month and a 1-1 home draw
with the Czech Republic.
Israel captain Yossi Benayoun is determined to play in the Group E
tussle at home to Croatia in Tel Aviv. The inspirational midfielder
suffered a partial knee ligament tear in West Ham's 1-0 defeat at
Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Powerful Maccabi Haifa forward Yaniv Katan is also injured and
misses out. Israel are unbeaten in their last 13 qualifying matches
in the European Championship and World Cup.
Croatia will be without midfielder Milan Rapaic of Standard Liege
and Werder Bremen striker Ivan Klasnic, both injured. Coach Slaven
Bilic has called up uncapped Parma forward Igor Budan.
First-choice goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa, who had a fever on Monday,
could miss the tie. Besiktas goalkeeper Vedran Runje will deputise
if he fails to recover in time.
'A victory in Tel Aviv would be perfect for us,' said Bilic. 'I
believe my players will display their best and we'll do all we can
to cause a severe headache for the Israeli side on Wednesday
night.'
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo is battling to recover from a leg
injury in time for the home clash with Kazakhstan in Group A.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari named four uncapped players in
his squad -- midfielder Raul Meireles, goalkeeper Daniel Fernandes,
defenders Nelson Marques and Antonio Leonel.
Injuries and impending fatherhood have left Netherlands coach Marco
van Basten with a re-shuffled side to face England in a friendly in
Amsterdam.
Midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong are out due to
injury, along with defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst, while striker
Robin van Persie has been granted leave of absence as his wife
Bouchra is expecting their first child. Clarence Seedorf, called up
for the first time since Euro 2004, could play.
England have lost eight players from their squad, though only one
of the absentees, right back Gary Neville, would have made Steve
McClaren's starting line-up.
Captain Patrick Vieira will earn his 100th cap leading France
against European champions Greece in a friendly in Paris.
Olympique Lyon strikers Karim Benzema and Sidney Govou have pulled
out through injury.
Coach Raymond Domenech has picked several young players for
France's final outing of 2006 but he is likely to stick to a
traditional 4-4-2 line-up with a strike partnership of Arsenal's
Thierry Henry and Manchester United's Louis Saha.
Liverpool's Luis Garcia and Barcelona's Andres Iniesta have
withdrawn from the Spain squad to play Romania in a friendly in
Cadiz.