Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev said Wednesday he fears a long-term knee injury may prevent him from playing at Euro 2012.
The CSKA Moscow stopper has been sidelined since August, when he tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee in a clash with Spartak Moscow striker Welliton, but returned to light training last week.
Asked if he'd be ready for the summer tournament in Ukraine and Poland, which starts June 8, the 25-year-old said: “Everything depends on my training, on what my knee allows me to do, how I feel physically."
"I could tell you again and again that I’ll be ready, that I’ll travel there, but no one needs a one-legged goalkeeper,” he told the Rossia-24 television news channel.
“I’m the sort of person who, if my leg hurts, won’t force my way in and disturb someone else if a healthy guy can play better than me. So, everything will depend on me and the state of my knee.”
Akinfeev criticized reports linking him to a move away from CSKA, possibly as a replacement for Chelsea’s Petr Cech.
“People are writing that I might go to Chelsea, but it’s just rumors. Absolutely no one’s been in contact with me. It would be stupid to think that any club would want to sign an injured player,” he said.
“I’m a CSKA player, and at the moment I’m satisfied with everything here. I don’t want to make a change for change’s sake.”
Akinfeev was the youngest-ever Russia international when he made his debut at 18 in 2004 and has been Russia’s first-choice goalkeeper since 2005, winning 50 caps for his country.
He has played 325 matches for CSKA, winning three Russian league titles, five Russian Cups and the 2005 UEFA Cup.
The Russia No. 2 is Zenit St. Petersburg goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev.
Russia play the Czech Repulic, co-hosts Poland and Greece at Euro 2012.
