Hiddink names squad to face Croatia in Euro 2012 playoffs

Turkish national football team’s 24-man squad to face Croatia in the Euro 2012 playoffs was announced on Nov. 4.

Forward Halil Altıntop has been called up by Turkey to join his twin brother Hamit in their squad to play Croatia in this month’s two-legged European Football Championship playoffs.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced squad, coached by Guus Hiddink, a week before the first fixture next Friday. The second leg is on Nov. 15.

Trabzonspor’s Halil Altintop, whose brother plays for Real Madrid, played for Turkey in the Euro 2008 finals but had not been included in the squad for more than a year after a drop in form.

Trabzon center back Giray Kaçar, Fenerbahçe winger Caner Erkin and Bursaspor midfielder Ozan İpek are also fresh faces in the squad.

Goalkeepers are Volkan Demirel of Fenerbahçe, Tolga Zengin of Trabzonspor, Sinan Bolat Standard Liege.

Galatasaray defenders Sabri Sarıoğlu, Servet Çetin and Hakan Balta are again in the squad, along with Beşiktaş duo İsmail Köybaşı and Egemen Korkmaz. Bayer Leverkusen’s Ömer Toprak and regular right back Gökhan Gönül of Fenerbahçe round out the defensive pack.

Apart from Hamit, the midfield line consists of La Liga players Arda Turan of Atletico Madrid and Mehmet Topal of Valencia. Fenerbahçe’s Emre Belözoğlu, Caner and Selçuk Şahin are in the squad as well, along with Ozan, Galatasaray playmaker Selçuk İnan and Hamburg winger Gökhan Töre.

Trabzonspor’s Burak Yılmaz, Halil and former teammate Umut Bulut will be the forwards in the squad, along with Galatasaray’s Colin Kazım Richards.