Swiss captain Alexander Frei out of Euro 2008
Written by: Brainiac
Switzerland captain Alexander Frei will miss the rest of Euro 2008, the national team doctor has confirmed, after Frei after ruptured his left knee ligament in Switzerland's opening 1-0 loss to the Czech Republic on Saturday.
Frei was down for several minutes after being fouled from behind by Czech Republic defender Zdenek Grygera shortly before halftime in the Group A match in Basel. Frei slowly walked off the field, a trainer on each side holding him, tears streaming down his face.
"A dream is destroyed for me," Frei said. "(But all of Switzerland) has a team, and this team has a dream. This must go on."
Frei is his country's record scorer with 35 goals in 60 matches and had been the best player on the pitch in the first half against the Czech Republic. A headline in the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung summed up how the home country felt: "The whole of Switzerland is crying with Frei," it read.
Swiss team doctor Cuno Wetzel said the injury would take at least six weeks to heal.
"In the moment it happened, I heard my knee and felt that it was not good," said Frei, who has had a hip operation, two muscle tears and a calf injury in the last 13 months. "I know my body too well."
Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn conceded that it was a big loss, but said the team would have to focus on its next match against Turkey on Wednesday – bet on it at WagerWeb.com.
"We have to move forward," Kuhn said after the opening loss. "This game is over but the Euro is not."
Kuhn is believed to be considering Eren Derdiyok as a replacement for Frei.
"We are not looking back. We have a final against Turkey on Wednesday that we absolutely must win," Kuhn said.
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