Von Bergen injured

GENEVA: Swiss coach Jakob “Kobi” Kuhn faced fresh headaches on Wednesday with the news that key players Tranquillo Barnetta and Steve von Bergen were the latest to fall foul of injuries, the latter certain to miss the finals. With less than three weeks before Switzerland kick off the EURO 2008, Barnetta and von Bergen sufferied injury in a training session in Lugano ahead of a pre-tournament match against Slovakia on Saturday, the Swiss FA . Barnetta will now miss that match and Hertha Berlin defender von Bergen will have to sit out the summer jamboree. — AFP

Turks to set up camp

GENEVA: The Euro 2008 Group A rivals Portugal and Turkey are set to be the first teams to arrive for the championships. The Portuguese and Turks will arrive at Neuchatel and Geneva respectively on June 1 while the first teams to arrive in Austria — who are co-hosting the championships with Switzerland — will be Poland and Italy on June 2. The Poles are going to be based at Bad Waltersdorf and Italy at Baden bei Vienna. — AFP

Petitioner fined

INNSBRUCK: A man who set up an online petition to have the Austrian soccer team withdrawn

from next month’s European Championship was fined $2,204 for misusing the national coat of arms on his Web site. Michael Kriess said he appealed the verdict and a hearing would take place on June 5. The court of Innsbruck fined Kriess for damaging Austria’s reputation by publishing a manipulated image of the coat of arms, in which a crown was replaced by a soccer ball. Kriess is the son of Werner Kriess, who played 15 times for Austria in the early 1970’s. — AP

Donadoni renews deal

ROME: Italy coach Roberto Donadoni renewed his contract for another two years, although he could still lose his job if the Azzurri don’t meet expectations at the EURO 2008. Italian soccer federation president Giancarlo Abete announced that the contract includes a reciprocal escape clause that can be put into effect within 10 days after Italy ends Euro 2008. Donadoni probably will not return if they do not reach the later stages of EURO 2008. — AFP

Seedorf opts out

THE HAGUE: Veteran midfielder Clarence Seedorf has pulled out of the Netherlands’ squad for the European Championships. The AC Milan player called coach Marco van Basten to tell him he would not be going to Austria and Switzerland, the Dutch soccer federation said in a statement. It gave no reason for Seedorf’s decision. Seedorf is the fourth most capped Netherlands player with 87 international appearance. Van Basten named him as part of a preliminary Euro 2008 squad of 30 players. — AFP