Baros doubtful for Russia opener

PRAGUE - Agence France-Presse

Although he is far from his best form, Milan Baros (R) remains a key player for the Czech squad in Euro 2012. EPA photo

Veteran Czech striker Milan Baros remained a doubt for the Czech Republic’s Euro 2012 opener with Russia after undergoing a scan on his thigh injury yesterday, Czech media said.

The 30-year-old - top scorer at Euro 2004 when the Czechs reached the semifinals - limped off the training pitch with a thigh injury on June 5, with doctors fearing he had ruptured it.

However, Baros, whose form has slumped since the heady days of 2004 and who has featured as often on the gossip pages as the sports pages, told the medical staff it felt better.

‘Feels much better’

“Milan now feels much better, the acute pain is gone. He said he wanted to train on Thursday,” Czech team doctor Petr Novak told the CTK news agency after the scan.

“It’s not as if the tournament’s over for Milan. We now take it as a pulled muscle,” added chief doctor Petr Krejci.

Novak said the final decision would be made after today’s training but added there was a realistic chance the Galatasaray striker, scorer of 41 goals in 89 games for the national team, would be fit for the Russia game.

“If he’s to play, he has to undergo full training on Thursday. We’ll see what he feels like,” added Krejci.
Runners-up in 1996, the Czechs will play all three Group A games in the southern Polish city of Wroclaw near the Czech border.

After playing Russia tomorrow, the Czechs will face Greece on a Euro 2004 rematch on June 12. Greece beat the Czech Republic in the Euro 2004 semifinals before going on to lift the trophy. The Czech then play co-hosts Poland on June 16.