Prague - Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky will miss the Euro 2008 football tournament because of nagging knee problems over the past months. Rosicky said Friday the knee injury required an operation.
The Arsenal midfielder was treated in Prague for the last three weeks after his English club doctors were unable to cure the injury which has plagued him all year.
Rosicky's absence is a big blow for the Czechs, who meet co-host Switzerland in the tournament opener on June 7 and also have Turkey and Portugal in their group.
Playmaker Rosicky has earned 68 caps and scored 19 goals. He has not played since last November.
His absence could lead to more calls for the return of 35-year-old Juventus veteran Pavel Nedved into the team. Nedved retired from the Czech team in August 2006.
Coach Karel Bruckner has three weeks left until the May 28 nomination deadline of his 23-player squad for the June 7-29 Euro event in Austria and Switzerland.
