Landreau gets a late call
Monday, August 19, 2002
Article summary
Coaches across Europe have been forced into numerous changes ahead of Wednesday's friendly matches.
Article body
Mickaël Landreau has taken the place of the injured Ulrich Ramé for France's friendly against Tunisia meaning a possible start for Olympique Lyonnais goalkeeper Gregory Coupet on Wednesday.
Knee problem
Ramé, who has a knee problem, was set to start the match following Fabien Barthez's withdrawal with a thigh injury but his absence elevates Coupet, France's third-choice keeper at the FIFA World Cup. Landreau, the FC Nantes Atlantique goalkeeper, has only one cap but got the call from coach Jacques Santini ahead of Paris Saint-Germain FC's Lionel Letizi.
Kahn out
Ramé is not the only goalkeeper forced to withdraw from international duty. Germany's Oliver Kahn, one of the personalities of the summer's World Cup, will sit out the friendly against Bulgaria with a bruised right knee.
Tip of the iceberg
Sáez turns to Sergio
Injuries have taken their usual toll on the plans of coaches across Europe as they use the midweek friendlies to prepare for the coming EURO 2004™ qualifying campaign. Spain's new coach, Iñaki Sáez, has called up RC Deportivo La Coruña midfield player Sergio González in place of Iván Helguera after the Real Madrid CF player suffered a knee injury in a friendly at the weekend.
Boniek makes a change
Poland coach Zbigniew Boniek has added Tomasz Rzasa of Feyenoord to his squad ahead of the match against Belgium following doubts over the fitness of Pawel Kaczorowski, while Gheorghe Popescu has been recalled to the Romania squad following his move to FC Dinamo Bucuresti.
Bad luck of the Irish
Philip Mulryne, Stuart Elliott, Paul McVeigh and Gerry Taggart all miss Northern Ireland's match with Cyprus, and coach Sammy McIlroy has drafted in Grant McCann and Stephen Robinson. Across the border, the Republic of Ireland have lost seven players, including full-backs Stephen Carr and Steve Finnan.
Do without
The uncapped Michael Silberbauer has replaced Martin Jørgensen in Denmark's squad to face Scotland, while Morten Wieghorst has come in for Thomas Helveg. Austria, Israel, Scotland and Wales will now have to do without the injured Mario Haas, Eyal Berkovic, Dominic Matteo and Ryan Giggs respectively.
