Euro 2012 - The injured XI
With the squads for the upcoming Euro 2012 being finalised today, 368 players will be happy to have made it to the finals of the championship. However, there will be some who must be heartbroken at missing out on the quadrennial event due to injuries happening at the wrong time of the year for them. Let us have a look at the players who could make it to the team sheets of managers managing the INJURED XI.
THOMAS SORENSEN (Goal Keeper)
Country: Denmark
Club: Stoke City
| The Stoke City goal keeper has a been a part of the Danish squad ever since Peter Schmeichel decided to retire from International football Sorensen has always been a very steady and safe custodian for the teams he has represented so far in his career. .Recently the glove man has earned his 100 international cap. However, a back injury while playing against Brazil on the weekend may have cost him his last chance to represent his country in a major international tournament . | 
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BACARY SAGNA (Right Back)
Country: France
Club: Arsenal
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Bacary Sagna was without a doubt the first choice for Laurent Blanc’s ‘Les Blues’ at right back given his ability to defend as well as provide assistance in the attack. Sagna after recovering from a broken leg that he suffered in October, suffered a freakish injury when he collapsed while trying to trap a aerial ball against Norwich in early May .Further examinations revealed that he had indeed broken the same leg again thus ending his Euro 2012 dream. |
CARLES PUYOL (Centre Back)
Country: Spain
Club: Barcelona
| Puyol has been an integral part of the Spanish setup since 2000 and has been the first name on the team sheet for managers of the Spanish National Team. His commitment, work ethic and ability to put his body on the line is something that distinguishes him from the others. Puyol suffered a knee injury in early may in a league game against local rivals Espanyol that ruled him out of the Euros. His experience and leadership at the back is something that Spain are sorely going to miss in their bid to defend the title. | 
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YOUNES KABOUL (Centre Back)
Country: France
Club: Tottenham Hotspurs
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Kaboul is a versatile player. This Centre back can play at various positions including right back and central defensive midfield. Also known for a thunderous right foot, Kaboul was a surety to make it to Poland /Ukraine this summer after a decent season with Tottenham. However, recurrence of an old knee injury in the final league game of the season meant that he would miss out on the plane to Poland/Ukraine. |
ERIK PIETERS (Left Back)
Country: Netherlands
Club: PSV Eindhoven
| Pieters is a relatively unknown face outside his home nation of Holland. The 23 year old has worked his way up the Dutch youth ranks and made his place in the senior team ever since Giovanni Van Bronckhorst has retired. The tournament was supposed to be a launching pad for the youngster but a broken foot during a league game in April meant he had to be content with watching the Euros from the stands. | 
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CARLOS MARTINS (Midfielder)
Country: Portugal
Club: Benfica/Granada
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Martins who plies his trade with Benfica spent the 2011/12 season on loan to Granada where he was a regular in the starting line up and did enough for him to guarantee a place in Paulo Bento’s 23 man squad. Known for his lethal right foot, Martins is going to miss out due to muscular problems in his leg. |
GARETH BARRY (Midfielder)
Country: England
Club: Manchester City
| Gareth Barry made it to Roy Hodgson’s side after a successful campaign with Manchester City, the newly crowned Premier League champions. He was most likely to play second fiddle to Scot Parker at the Euros. Unfortunately for Barry though he picked up a groin injury while playing in a pre tournament friendly against Norway which has ruled him out of the competition. | 
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JACK WILSHERE (Midfielder)
Country: England
Club: Arsenal
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Jack Wilshere burst onto the scene in 2010-11 season with superb performances that earned him the PFA Young Player of The Year award for 2010-11. Known for his great vision and movement, Wilshere, a box to box midfielder earned his first call up to the English squad in 2010-11 season. He would have been a certainty to make the cut if it would not have been for a pre season stress fracture to his ankle which has kept him out for the entire of 2011-12 campaign as well as the Euros. |
LOIC REMY (Striker)
Country: France
Club: Marseille
| Although Marseille had a poor run this season, Loic Remy enjoyed a very successful season with a tally of 28 goals. The 25 year old was sure to board the plane to Poland but a thigh injury in early May meant he was not named even in the provisional squad of 36 by Laurent Blanc. With his blistering pace and ability to play down the wings, Remy’s loss might dampen the chances of the French lifting the Euro 2012 trophy. | 
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GIUSEPPE ROSSI (Striker)
Country: Italy
Club: Villareal
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The diminutive American born Italian forward has been recognised for his strong technical skills, passing and dribbling talent. However, this year has been one of the worst seasons of Rossi’s career with him picking up an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a league game against Real Madrid in late October. He re-injured his ligament in April while training which meant he was going to be out for another 10 months thus ending his chances to play in the Euros. And to cap it all, his team Villareal were relegated from the La liga after 13 years. |
DAVID VILLA (Striker)
Country: Spain
Club: Barcelona
| David Villa is without doubt going to be the most notable absentee from the Euro’s this season. Responsible for Spain’s success in the last Euro as well as World cup, Villa has been a top marksman for the national side becoming the all time top goal scorer for Spain during the qualifying stages of the tournament. Villa suffered a broken tibla during the Club World Cup in December and hasn’t won the race against time to be fit for the Championship. His ability to score goals and gel well with his team mates would definitely be a dampener to Spain’s chances at Euro 2012. | 
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BENCH: Chris Smalling (England/Manchester United), Eric Abidal (France/Barcelona), Kyle Walker (England/Tottenham) , John Guidetti (Sweeden/Manchester City/Feyenoord), Keith Fahey(Republic of Ireland/Birmingham City) , John Ruddy (England/Norwich City)
How much are the teams of the respective players going to miss them? What chances would this team have if they were to participate in Euro 2012?