Galatasaray left short at the back

Galatasaray SK defenders Tolga Seyhan and Orhan Ak will miss the opening two UEFA Champions League matchdays after sustaining injuries on international duty.

Two-match absence
The pair had been due to take part in Turkey's UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier against Malta tonight but withdrew from the squad after picking up knocks. A knee injury has sidelined 29-year-old centre-back Tolga for a month while a thigh complaint is likely to keep the 26-year-old Orhan, another centre-half, out for five weeks. That will leave both men in the stands for Galatasaray's Group C encounters at home to FC Girondins de Bordeaux next Tuesday and away to Liverpool FC on 27 September.