BOLOGNA, Italy (AP) — Turkey defender Ozan Kabak will miss the European Championship after tearing a cruciate ligament in his right knee in a friendly against Italy, the Turkish Football Association said on Wednesday.
Kabak was injured after challenging Italy forward Mateo Retegui for the ball shortly before halftime in the friendly, which finished 0-0.
The Turkish federation confirmed Kabak was out of its Euro 2024 squad and didn’t name a replacement.
The 24-year-old former Liverpool defender plays in the Bundesliga for Hoffenheim, which said he would spend “many months” in recovery.
“This is an unbelievably bitter piece of news and a personal tragedy for Ozan,” Hoffenheim managing director Alexander Rosen said in a statement, adding Kabak dreamed of playing for Turkey in Germany at Euro 2024.
“The fact that this dream has been shattered by such a severe injury just a few days before the opening game of the Euro makes the whole situation all the more dramatic.”
Turkey starts its Euro 2024 campaign against Georgia on June 18 in Group F followed by Portugal on June 22 and the Czech Republic on June 26.
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