Withdrawals hamper Welsh hopes

The intensity of the weekend action across Europe has had implications for Wednesday's international fixtures. 

Savage blow
Wales travel to Azerbaijan for their UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying match with Birmingham City FC's midfield player Robbie Savage becoming the latest to withdraw from the squad because of a groin injury. "Robbie is very sore," said Steve Bruce, the Birmingham manager. "If we had a game on Wednesday - or even next Saturday - then he would be struggling to play."

Request refused
To add to manager Mark Hughes' problems the Newcastle United FC forward Craig Bellamy has withdrawn because of his troublesome knee. Bellamy has been advised to play only one match per week and as Newcastle face Manchester United FC in the English Premiership on Saturday, Sir Bobby Robson, the Magpies manager, has refused to let Bellamy play. "I had a request from Wales to let his one game this week be on Wednesday," said Robson. "I understand, I was a national manager, but Bellamy is not ready for that sort of situation."

Absent list
Bellamy and Savage join Jason Koumas, Mark Pembridge, Andy Johnson, Nathan Blake and Gareth Taylor on the absent list. Swansea City FC striker James Thomas, Reading FC defender Adrian Williams and Wigan Athletic FC striker Neil Roberts have been called up. There was some good news for Wales, however, when the Cardiff City FC central defender Danny Gabbidon passed a fitness test on a back injury.

Malta must win
Malta are also missing three players for their qualifier against Cyprus - a match they have to win after three losses. Midfield player David Camilleri and defender Darren Debono are out of the squad because of injury and midfield player Joe Brincat is suspended.

Van Bronckhorst in
The Netherlands will face Germany in a friendly without the PSV Eindhoven pair of Kevin Hofland (ankle) and Mark van Bommel (groin). Arsenal FC's midfield player Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been called up. Meanwhile, Dietmar Hamann and Christian Ziege have pulled out of the Germany squad. Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Carsten Ramelow is also a doubt because of a stomach bug.

Denmark duo withdraw
Denmark have lost Charlton Athletic FC's Claus Jensen and PSV's Kasper Bogelund (calf injuries) from their friendly with Poland. They will be replaced by Brøndby IF's Morten Wieghorst and Akademisk Boldklub's Michael Johansen. Poland have added defender Marcin Baszczynski to their squad to replace his injured Wisla Kraków team-mate Arkadiusz Glowacki.
 
Sweden depleted 
AIK Solna’s Andreas Andersson (groin), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (throat) of AFC Ajax and Klebér Saarenpää (leg) of Aalborg BK have pulled out of Sweden's friendly against the Czech Republic. They will be replaced by Kennedy Bakircioglü of Hammarby and Danijel Majsterovic and Niklas Skoog of Malmö FF. Meanwhile, the Valencia CF striker John Carew will miss Norway's friendly against Austria because of an ankle injury. 

Crowe call-up 
As well as calling up Bohemians FC striker Glenn Crowe, the Republic of Ireland have called up Shelbourne FC's Wesley Houlihan for their Greece friendly. Coventry City FC duo Barry Quinn and Richie Partridge were also added. The squad has been decimated as Stephen Carr (calf), Gary Kelly (calf), Ian Harte (calf), Mark Kinsella (ear infection), Kevin Kilbane (shoulder), Clinton Morrison (groin), Damien Duff (calf), Robbie Keane (shoulder), Graham Barrett (knee) and Andy O'Brien (family reasons) have all withdrawn.
 
Portugal pair pull out
Hugo Viana and Luis Boa Morte have pulled out of Portugal’s squad to face Scotland due to injury. They were replaced by Mário Sérgio of Paços Ferreira and Nuno Assis, the Vitória SC Guimarães playmaker. Finally, Ukraine coach Leonid Buryak has called Ruslan Rotan into his squad to face Slovakia.