Rosicky not fit enough to start

Rosicky not fit enough to start

Published Jun. 21, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

Czech Republic team manager Vladimir Smicer says injured captain Tomas Rosicky is not ready to start its European Championship quarterfinal against Portugal on Thursday.

Rosicky has an Achilles tendon injury and Smicer told Czech state television that ''Tomas will definitely not play from the start.''

Smicer says the influential playmaker will be on the substitutes' bench for the game at Warsaw's National Stadium and ''if we are in trouble at the end, he may give it a try and help us.''

Rosicky picked up the injury during a 2-1 win over Greece on June 12 and only resumed practicing Wednesday. He missed his team's 1-0 victory over Poland on Saturday, when his place in midfield went to Daniel Kolar.

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