Yakin blow for Basel
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Article summary
FC Basel 1893 defender Murat Yakin will be out for the rest of the year because of a persistent back problem.
Article body
Lengthy absence
The Basel captain has had a series of niggling injuries this season, and has been out of action since Switzerland's 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Israel on 9 October. Yakin is yet to play in his club's UEFA Cup Group A campaign and will now miss Basel's remaining fixtures against Heart of Midlothian FC next Thursday, and against Ferencvárosi TC and Feyenoord in December.
Petric blow
Yakin's injury is another blow to coach Christian Gross who learned on Monday that he will be without Mladen Petric until January at the earliest. The striker is suffering from a torn ligament. Basel have drawn their only Group A match so far, 1-1 away to FC Schalke 04 on Matchday 1.
