Swiss lose Cantaluppi for vital Euro clash with Russia

FC BASEL midfielder Mario Cantaluppi has been ruled out of Switzerland’s crucial Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia on Saturday with a foot infection.

The 33-year-old was an important part of the side that reached the second group phase of the Champions League and who narrowly missed out on the Nationalliga title over the weekend.

He will not feature for Switzerland in Basel on June 7 and will also miss the Euro 2004 qualifier against Albania in Geneva four days later.

“It has been a long and very tough season for Mario, because the club has done very well in a number of competitions,” said FC Basel’s Josef Zindel.

“He has been struggling with his foot injury all season and that has meant that he will miss both qualifiers that have been set for the next few weeks,” said Zindel

Switzerland manager Koebi Kuhn’s side lead Group 10 with eight points from four games, with Russia second on six points and Albania third in the table with five points from four games played. Kuhn is yet to announce a replacement for Cantaluppi.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Fabrice Borer (Grasshoppers), Jarg Stiel (Borussia Munchengladbach), Pascal Zuberbahler (FC Basel) Defenders: Bernt Haas, Murat Yakin, Marco Zwissig (all FC Basel), Remo Meyer (1860 Munich), Patrick Muller (Olympique Lyon), Bruno Berner (Freiburg), Ludovic Magnin (Werder Bremen), Stephane Henchoz (Liverpool), Stephan Keller (FC Zurich) Midfield: Ricardo Cabanas (Grasshoppers), Fabio Celestini (Marseille), Johann Vogel (PSV Eindhoven), Hakan Yakin (FC Basel), Christoph Spycher (Grasshoppers), Raphael Wicky (SV Hamburg) Strikers: Stephane Chapuisat (Young Boys), Alexander Frei (Rennes), Milaim Rama (FC Thun).