(Adds confirmation of injuries)
By Iain Rogers
GENEVA, June 16 - Turkey have seven players
injured or suspended ahead of Friday's Euro 2008 quarter-final
against Croatia.
Emre Gungor, carried off in the second half of Sunday's
thrilling Group A win over Czech Republic, has a calf strain and
will miss the rest of the finals, a team spokesman said on
Monday.
The extent of the central defender's injury was identified
in a scan, the spokesman said, adding that it had not yet been
decided whether he would remain with the squad.
"The first thing I saw this morning when I woke up was the
list of seven players injured or suspended," coach Fatih Terim
said earlier on Monday at a news conference.
Captain Emre Belozoglu has been sidelined with a hamstring
problem since the opening defeat by Portugal and midfield
partner Tumer Metin has a groin strain.
Tumer will definitely miss the Croatia match and Emre is
extremely doubtful, the spokesman said. Servet Cetin is also
doubtful, though his central defensive partner Gokhan Zan is
recovering from a knee injury and may be fit, he added.
KEEPER OUT
To add to Turkey's woes keeper Volkan Demirel is out of the
quarter-final after he was sent off for shoving Czech forward
Jan Koller in injury time.
Terim said 2002 World Cup keeper Rustu Recber would replace
Volkan in goal in Vienna on Friday.
Defensive midfielder Mehmet Aurelio is also suspended after
picking up his second yellow card of the tournament.
Terim said Turkey were determined to go all the way to the
final after coming second in Group A behind Portugal.
"At my home in Turkey I have a phrase on the wall that says,
'Nothing is impossible but miracles take time'," said the coach.
"I think we saw this miracle at the Euro 2008 Championship.
My players fought like lions and got the victory.
Turkey dragged themselves back from 2-0 down to beat the
Czechs 3-2 with three goals in a pulsating last 15 minutes.
"We are determined to get through to the last stage," Terim
said. "I have said playing in the final would suit us. Both
Turkish and neutral fans would say we deserve it."
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)