The Hindu : Sport / Football : Figo back but Seedorf may miss opener

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

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Sport - Football

Figo back but Seedorf may miss opener

LISBON, JUNE 8. Luis Figo calmed the nerves of the host nation by returning to training on Tuesday but the Netherlands' Euro 2004 hopes were hit by an injury to Clarence Seedorf.

Figo complained of a leg muscle problem and was unable to train on Monday, prompting fears that Portugal's biggest star might miss the team's opener against Greece in four days time.

But the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Real Madrid midfielder joined the rest of the squad for a workout at Portugal's training center 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Lisbon.

While Figo was back, Seedorf reportedly was ruled out of the Netherlands' first game against Germany.

The AC Milan midfielder suffered a hamstring problem during Saturday's surprise 1-0 loss at home to Ireland, the team's last warmup game before the championship. Coming on top of that poor performance, the news of Seedorf's injury means another headaches for coach Dick Advocaat, whose team in Group D, the toughest of the four groups.

"I will have to miss him for at least a week," said Advocaat, looking ahead to next Tuesday's game against traditional rival Germany in Oporto.

Michael Ballack, the German midfielder likely to be the key to his team's chances of extending its record of three European titles, was linked with a move from Bayern Munich to Barcelona.

Barcelona vice president Sandro Rosell said he was hopeful of signing Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack after holding talks with the German club and the player.

Ballack is reportedly keen to make the move to Spain although Rosell said he recognized that Bayern wouldn't readily give up the star midfielder.

"They (Bayern) will find it hard to take a decision but we're optimistic. This board always is. Now we have to wait." The Barcelona-based daily Mundo Deportivo quoted Rosell as saying on Tuesday after his trip to Germany. "Ballack is for them as Ronaldinho is for us and we know it's not easy to give up a player like him."

The Czech Republic, considered a dark horse for the title, also is in the group along with outsider Latvia.

Hoping to avoid a repeat of their feeble performance at Euro 2000 when the Czechs were eliminated after just two games after losing to the Dutch and the French, Karel Bruckner doesn't want his stars to burn themselves out before this championship starts.

They are having two days off after several tough days of training and two straight victories in friendlies and don't arrive in Portugal until Thursday.

Juventus star Pavel Nedved, who could well wind up the player of the tournament if the Czechs emerge from such a tough first round, went to relax at his home in western Bohemia, according to news reports, while Borussia Dortmund striker Jan Koller married girlfriend Hedvika Kankova at the Dobris chateau, 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of Prague.

The team comes off warm-up victories over fellow finalist Bulgaria and non-qualifier Estonia and, although the team's defence looks fragile, it has the midfield and forward strength to make a major impact on the tournament.

"We're glad that we won, but it could have been better," Borussia Dortmund midfielder Tomas Rosicky said. "It can be seen that we are still tired, but we still have enough time to recover before the first match of the tournament."

The championship starts Saturday with Portugal vs. Greece in Oporto in the north and Spain vs. Russia at Faro on the south coast, and several more players are struggling to be fit.

Even defending champion and favourite France has problems.

Juventus striker David Trezeguet has an ankle injury which kept him out of Sunday's 1-0 victory over Ukraine and coach Jacques Santini also has to decide whether to field one of his defensive stalwarts, Marcel Desailly in his team's opener against England.

The Chelsea defender, who will face some familiar faces on the England lineup as well as four club colleagues, has lost form during the Premier League season and, at age 35, is slowing down. He also missed the game against Ukraine because of a knee problem but is reported healthy.

His Chelsea defensive colleague, John Terry, may not make Sunday's game at Lisbon's Stadium of Light either.

Terry limped out of the 1-1 tie with Japan a week ago with a hamstring problem and stayed on the sidelines as the rest of the England squad trained on Tuesday.

David Beckham, who had a cyst removed from his back on Saturday after playing half of England's 6-1 beating of Iceland, was back in training.

Meanwhile, rival fans flying into Portugal will be segrated at Lisbon's international airport.

Francisco Severino, the airport's director, said potential clashes between fans would be avoided by channeling rivals through separate terminals.

The system will have its first major test on Sunday when more than 30,000 fans are expected for the Group B match between France and England.

Half a million fans are expected for the 16-nation tournament which ends on July 4. — Agencies

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