18th June, 2012
Tomas Rosicky says he has very little chance of playing in the Czech Republic’s Euro 2012 quarter-final as he struggles to overcome a calf injury.
The Arsenal midfielder missed Saturday’s 1-0 win over co-hosts Poland to not just ensure they reached the knock-out rounds but it was also enough to win Group A.
It means they will likely avoid powerhouses Germany in the last eight in Warsaw on June 21.
But yet again Michal Bilek’s team are almost certain to be without their 31-year-old captain.
“There is just a small chance I will play in the quarter-finals but it’s really not big,” said Rosicky.
“It (his calf) got better during the last few days until Saturday when I wanted to train and I felt pain again.”
Bilek said the team’s medical staff will do everything in their power to get him fit for Thursday but he insisted he also has faith in Daniel Kolar, who replaced Rosicky against Poland.
“He tried to be fit before this match but he couldn’t start so it’s very difficult to say whether or not we will have him for the next one,” said the coach.
“We hope he will play of course, we will see. Everyone has been doing their best to get him fit.”