The Hindu : Sport / Football : It's time for friendlies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

Sport

Sport - Football

It's time for friendlies

LONDON, APRIL 27. With the European Championship just over a month away, Wednesday's friendly warm-up matches stand out for the number of key players missing from the line-ups.

Fourteen of the 16 teams competing in the June 12-July 4 championship in Portugal are in action throughout Europe in one of the final chances to test potential line-ups. Only defending champion France and England are not playing.

In the standout matches, Italy hosts Spain in Genoa, Portugal plays Sweden in Coimbra, and the Netherlands hosts Greece in Eindhoven.

In other matches: Romania vs. Germany, Czech Republic vs. Japan, Latvia vs. Iceland, Macedonia vs. Croatia, Switzerland vs. Slovenia, Norway vs. Russia, Bulgaria vs. Cameroon and Denmark vs. Scotland.

Italian fans are celebrating the return of striker Roberto Baggio to the national team. Baggio, 37, was called up by Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni for a special `farewell' match, but that hasn't stopped the player or his legion of fans hoping a good performance will prompt a Euro 2004 call-up.

It's his first Italy game since 1999, and first since Trapattoni took charge four years ago. Baggio has 55 caps and is fourth on Italy's all-time scoring list with 27 goals.

"Baggio deserves to go to the Euros not for his extraordinary career, but because he's playing well and many of our strikers are having problems," the daily newspaper Corriere dello Sport said in an editorial.

Christian Vieiri is also on the squad, but Alessandro Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi, Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta are sidelined with injuries. Lazio goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi has been called up for the first time in five years.

Spain is without key defender Carles Puyol, who has a sprained ankle. Valencia defender Carlos Marchena and rookie forward Luis Garcia are also out.

Spain has worries up front too, with Real Madrid's Raul Gonzalez appearing unfit during Sunday's 2-1 loss to FC Barcelona.

World Cup runner-up Germany will be without defender Christian Woerns and midfielder Christian Rahn against Romania in Bucharest after both picked up injuries in league play. Miroslav Klose is also missing.

Romania is without Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu, who has a ligament strain. Adrian Ilie or Daniel Neaga will likely start up front.

One team able to field its best line-up is the Czech Republic, which plays Japan in Prague.

Tomas Rosicky, Milan Baros and Vladimir Smicer have all recovered from injuries. Striker Pavel Nedved is also fit.

The Dutch will be missing injured Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, Barcelona midfielders Edgar Davids and Phillip Cocu and right wing Andy van der Meyde against Greece.

Patrick Kluivert, Roy Makaay, Wesley Sneijder and Mark van Bommel will play instead.

d in Riga. Coach Aleksandrs Starkovs will field close to his best line-up, including speedy forward Maris Verpakovskis, who scored six goals in qualifying. — AP

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