Top teams forced to experiment

Germany, Italy and Spain have all had to think again after losing several players for their international friendlies on Wednesday night.

Kahn out
Germany, who welcome Serbia and Montenegro to Bremen, have lost goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, midfield players Dietmar Hamann and Jens Jeremies and striker Oliver Neuville. Coach Rudi Völler has called in Hans-Jörg Butt, Benjamin Lauth, Fabian Ernst and Gerald Asamoah to reinforce his squad.

No Bayern players
"At then end of the season you always have plenty of players injured," said the coach. "The date is not really convenient but we have to play that game and do the best we can." With Michael Ballack rested after a recent ankle injury, there will be no FC Bayern München player in the team for the first time in five years.

Goalkeeping dilemma
Italy travel to Geneva to face Switzerland without goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon and Francesco Toldo. Giovanni Trapattoni has called in AS Roma's Ivan Pellizzoli and AC Milan's Christian Abbiati as replacements with the latter tipped to get a starting place. Also out is Giuseppe Favalli, the S.S. Lazio defender who was hoping for his first cap in five years.

All change
Spain have also had to reshuffle after FC Barcelona's Xavi Hernández and Carlos Puyol, Valencia CF's David Albelda and Vicente Rodríguez, Athletic Club Bilbao's Joseba Etxeberria and Club Atlético de Madrid's Luis García all withdrew for the match against Ecuador. RC Deportivo La Coruña's César Martín and Sergio González have been drafted in along with Barcelona's Gabri García and Real Sociedad's Javier de Pedro for the match in Madrid.

Celtic drop-outs
Elsewhere, Austria have called upon Grazer AK striker Ronald Brunmayr and FC Kärnten midfield player Thomas Holler to replace Jurgen Panis and Markus Weissenberger for the trip to Scotland. The Scots, have lost Celtic FC pair Robert Douglas and Paul Lambert, meaning a chance for Kenny Arthur of Partick Thistle FC and Maurice Ross of Rangers FC.

Two changes
Slovakia have made two changes for their home match against Greece in Zilina. Vratislav Gresko and Igor Demo have been replaced by Radoslav Zabavnik of MŠK Zilina and Ondrej Debnar of FC Artmedia Petrzalka.

Romanian woe
Lithuania will be without Tomas Razanauskas for their home match against Romania after he was allowed to concentrate on club duties, but the already injury-hit Romanians have far more headaches. Coach Anghel Iordanescu was today deprived of Ioan Viorel Ganea, Dennis Serban, Tiberiu Ghioane and Adrian Iencsi meaning late call-ups for Iulian Miu, Lucian Sanmartean, Mihaita Plesan and Claudiu Raducanu.

Duo a doubt
Croatia also have problems with striker Bosko Balaban and midfield player Darijo Srna doubtful for the friendly against Sweden in Stockholm. Meanwhile, a thigh injury has seen Johan Mjällby follow Marcus Lantz, Andreas Andersson and Fredrik Ljungberg in dropping out of the Sweden squad. Tommy Jonsson and Kennedy Bakircioglu have been called in as cover.

Kiely retirement
Poland have allowed Emmanuel Olisadebe to stay with Panathinaikos FC, rather than link up with the national squad for their match in Belgium. Jerzy Dudek, Maciej Zurawski and Jacek Zielinski have also withdrawn with replacements coming in the form of Maciej Nalepa, Tomasz Jarzebowski and Mariusz Jop. The Republic of Ireland will be without Dean Kiely, after the goalkeeper retired from international football before the match against Norway.

Sand permission
Denmark have allowed new father Ebbe Sand to miss out on their home match against Ukraine. FC København striker Peter Möller will get a chance to deputise while Aalborg BK defender Brian Priske replaces the injured Thomas Rytter. Finally, the Czech Republic have agreed to rest Juventus FC's Pavel Nedved for the visit of Turkey. Also missing is striker Vratislav Lokvenc and the duo's absence led to calls for Roman Týce and Tomáš Došek.