Brugge lose Serebrennikov

Club Brugge KV's Serhiy Serebrennikov will be out for at least a month after undergoing knee surgery.

Quick operation
The midfield player looks certain to miss Brugge's UEFA Champions League games against Galatasaray SK and FC Barcelona after being injured during Ukraine's 2-0 win against Greece in a EURO 2004™ qualifying game on Saturday. Serebrennikov was immediately rushed back to Belgium after the game and had cartilage surgery on Monday as Brugge aimed to get one of their key players back to full fitness as soon as possible.

Third injury
"Sergei will be out for three or four weeks - we do not know exactly," said Brugge coach Trond Sollied, who has also been hit by injuries to defender Marek Spilár and forward Rune Lange in recent weeks. "We will see on Saturday who will play in his place. I do not know yet."

Englebert to return
Gaetan Englebert looks a likely candidate to take Serebrennikov's position in midfield although Sollied must wait until after the Belgian international's return from the national side's trip to Estonia before making any final decision on his fitness. "A good point is that Gaetan Englebert is fit again and will almost certainly play again next weekend after the trip to Tallinn," said Sollied.

'A little bit unlucky'
Despite the injury list, the coach remained upbeat, saying: "Of course, we are a little bit unlucky with those injuries but it gives a good opportunity for the other players to show themselves, and I am not worried too much. Spilár is already running and training individually with the ball. He can come back very soon to the team and I think that with Serhiy it will be the same."