Berbatov heads injury list

Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov will miss key games for club and country after being ruled out for a month with a twisted ankle.

Limped off after scoring
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen player limped off immediately after scoring his country's second goal in the 2-0 EURO 2004™ qualifying win in Croatia yesterday and will now miss Wednesday's Group 8 game at home to Andorra. Berbatov sustained the injury in the fourth minute of the match but played on until eight minutes before half-time.

Champions League
"I will not be able to recover for the game against Andorra," he said. If the prognosis is correct, the 21-year-old could miss all three of Bayer's remaining UEFA Champions League first group stage matches. Another player doubtful for Bulgaria is Martin Petrov, who suffered a thigh injury and limped off in the second half.

Chivu faces surgery
Like Berbatov, Romanian international Cristian Chivu faces missing out on important EURO 2004™ and Champions League engagments after after being ruled out for three weeks with a knee injury. The AFC Ajax defender played all 90 minutes of Romania's home defeat by Norway but now requires surgery on the problem.

'Out for three weeks'
Pompiliu Popescu, the Romania team doctor, said: "Chivu has injured his right knee and will not travel with the Romanian squad to Luxembourg. He will undergo surgery which will put him out of action for three weeks." Adrian Mutu and Gheorghe Popescu are also doubts for Wednesday's Group 2 game.

Myrhe injury
Norway goalkeeper Thomas Myhre, meanwhile, will make way for Frode Olsen in the Group 2 qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday after sustaining a leg injury in the 1-0 victory over Romania. Myhre looked to be in pain towards the end of the game and said afterwards: "It's not the same groin injury I had earlier in the season. I'm not quite sure what kind of injury it is yet."

Boniek makes changes
Poland coach Zbigniew Boniek has made changes for the friendly against New Zealand following Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Latvia. Liverpool FC goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek will return to his club, while Tomasz Hajto of FC Schalke 04 misses out with an injury. Boniek has called up goalkeeper Maciej Nalepa of Ukrainian side FC Karpaty Lviv and Under-21 captain Michal Stasiak to take their places.

Raúl's groin problem
Andrew O'Brien has withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad for Wednesday's Group 10 match against Switzerland because of a hamstring injury while Spain striker Raúl González aggravated a groin problem in the 3-0 win against Northern Ireland and has pulled out of Wednesday's friendly against Paraguay.

Duo available
Finally, Germany defender Christian Worns and Bosnia midfield player Hasan Salihamidizc are available for the respective qualifying matches against the Faroe Islands and Norway. Their red cards in last Friday's friendly in Sarajevo mean they will miss their countries' next friendly matches.