Van Basten rules van Persie out of Italy clash

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

LAUSANNE, Suisse (AFP) — Dutch attacking midfielder Robin van Persie was effectively ruled out of their opening Euro 2008 match with world champions Italy by national coach Marco van Basten on Friday.

The 23-year-old Arsenal star has not played a competitive match since the end of April and was racked by several injuries last season, including latterly a thigh problem which saw him reduced to light training for the first two weeks of the Euro training camp.

With two other tough matches to come in the 'Group of Death' against 2006 World Cup finalists France and dark horses Romania, van Basten appears not to be willing to risk the fragile van Persie for the first match.

"Robin is training normally with the squad," said van Basten, who steps down after the...