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Injured Cannavaro stays on despite being ruled out

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro issued a message of support to the Azzurri yesterday after being ruled out of the European Championship with an ankle injury.

“I have a lot of confidence in this team. We’ve got some very experienced players and I’m sure we will do well,” Cannavaro said, flashing a large smile after arriving for a news conference on crutches. “That’s the main reason why I want to stay here, to encourage the squad.”

He will have surgery on his left ankle in Vienna so he can remain with Italy at the team’s training camp in Austria.

“The Real Madrid doctor is on his way here and he will assist me in the surgery, which will probably be tomorrow morning,” team physician Andrea Ferretti said yesterday, adding that Cannavaro will likely be out “for a few months.”

Cannavaro tore ligaments during a collision with defender Giorgio Chiellini on Monday in Italy’s first practice session at the tournament.

“Chiellini was really down. I went over and tried to console him because it wasn’t his fault,” Cannavaro said. “I told him that as soon as gets a chance to play he’ll score, and he’ll know who to dedicate the goal to. These things happen to soccer players.”

Italy have called up Alessandro Gamberini to replace Cannavaro.

“Clearly it’s a big loss for the team, but it’s really positive for the team that he’s decided to stay,’’ Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said.

Meanwhile Switzerland coach “Kobi” Kuhn said his team would gain strength from the setbacks that have rocked their Euro 2008 preparations.

Kuhn resumed training with the squad at their base yesterday, a day after his wife was taken to hospital following an epileptic attack.

The co-hosts have also been hit by injuries in the build-up, leading to the withdrawal of striker Blaise Nkufo, defender Steve von Bergen and goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti.

“I can assure you that we did not orchestrate any of these things but it’s true that events like this do not just have negative results,” Kuhn told a news conference.

“They also bring a sense of solidarity and standing together and that is certainly an important factor for our first match on Saturday. I think the injuries and everything else that has happened will give us even more strength.
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