EURO 2008 INFO

Radek Sirl and Daniel Pudil will miss next month's European Championship due to injuries, growing the Czech Republic's injury list.

Sirl was diagnosed with a strained ligament in his right knee and ruled out after medical check on Monday, less than a week after he won the UEFA Cup with Zenit St. Petersburg, Czech Republic coach Karel Bruckner and Czech team physician Jiri Fousek said.

The 27-year-old Sirl has played only 45 minutes for the national team, during a friendly 1-1 draw against Denmark on Nov 15, 2006. But Bruckner said he deserved to be on the team following his recent performances for his Russian club, which won its first European trophy by beating Rangers 2-0 Wednesday.

Bruckner said Sirl's injury was more serious than initially expected and he would need at least three more weeks of treatment without any training.

"To use him at the European Championship is impossible," Bruckner said.

Pudil, who plays for Czech champion Slavia Prague, was dropped from the preliminary roster later in the day after a scan revealed a broken bone in his right hand, team spokesman Lukas Tucek said in a statement.

Midfielder Rudolf Skacel of Hertha Berlin was called up to replace him, Tucek said. Both, the 22-year-old Pudil and the 28-year-old Skacel have played three times each for the Czech Republic, each scoring one goal for their country.

Skacel's call to the national team is his first since a World Cup qualifier against Armenia in September 2005.

Sirl and Pudil are the second and third players the Czechs will be without for the June 7-29 tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Earlier this month, captain Tomas Rosicky announced he would have to undergo surgery on his left knee and would not recover in time.

The Czech Republic opens on June 7 against Switzerland and also faces Turkey and Portugal in Group A.

"Our goal is clear," Bruckner said. "To advance from the group. ... We'll do our best to achieve it, despite the losses we have."

The Czechs go to Austria for a May 20-26 training camp before playing two more friendlies ahead of the tournament — against Lithuania on May 27 and Scotland three days later, both in Prague.