Skippers Injury Adds to Hitzfelds Worries

Switzerland captain Alexander Frei suffered an ankle injury during training on Wednesday in Zurich, just a day before the team are due to depart for South Africa. The news adds to the woes for the Swi s, following the withdrawal of Christian Spycher and Marco Streller, and the recent injury concern to Valon Behrami, coach Ottmar Hitzfeld could have done without this problem.The severity Jerome Bettis Jersey of Freis injury is not yet known, but Hitzfeld is holding out hope for his captain. He told Swi s news agency, ATS, I hope that Ben Roethlisberger Jersey the ligaments are not damaged, that there is no fracture. He went on to say, I believe Alex will be on the flight with us tonight (Thursday) for South Africa even if its a bad injury. I leave in the belief that he will take part in the World Cup. He perhaps will not be ready for the first match but I will be able to call upon him after that.Frei is Najee Harris Jersey a major doubt for opening group matchFrei sustained the injury in a collison with team-mate Steve von Bergen and was rushed off to hospital for scans. Frei will be devastated by this setback, as he has endured a nightmare season with injuries, only returning for FC Basle from a broken arm for the Swi s Cup final in May. He also has bad memories of his Euro 2008 campaign, co-hosted by Switzerland, where he partially ruptured his knee ligaments in the opening group game, ruling him out of the rest of the tournament.Should Frei mi s out on the Swi ss opening Group H match against Spain on Wednesday June Devin Bush Jersey 16th Hitzfeld will have key tactical and personnel decisions to make. He has the option to employ a 4-5-1 formation in an attempt to crowd the midfield and limit the time and space given to the talented Spanish midfield or he could stick with the favoured 4-4-2, selecting the youthful Eren Derdiyok or the experienced Hakan Yakin to partner Blaise Nkufo in attack.Another injury concern ahead of the first group match is Valon Behrami, the midfielder left the field during the recent friendly with Italy. He has since returned to training after x-rays showed only a minor muscular T.J. Watt Jersey injury, but has not been able to run thus far. With a squad lacking in star performers, the prospect of losing both their talismatic leader and preferred right midfield option is rather worrying for the alpine nation.
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