Poland striker Krzysztof Piątek has been ruled out of Euro 2020 after fracturing his ankle playing for club side Hertha Berlin, the Polish Football Association said on Friday.
Piątek sustained the injury in the second half of Hertha's 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Schalke 04 on Wednesday.
"Surgery is necessary. A three or four-month break is awaiting the player," national team doctor Jacek Jaroszewski said in a statement from the Polish FA.
Poland face Slovakia in their opening game of the tournament, which was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on June 14 before playing Spain and Sweden.
"Last 36 hours was difficult for me. Injury eliminates me from Euro 2020 which I was dreaming about so much" - Piątek said in a tweet with a photo of him in a hospital bed.
"However, I believe that in football, as in life, nothing happens without a reason. I know that God must have a plan for me" - he added on a more positive note.
This season Piątek was a regular starter in the Berlin team. He played 32 games and scored 7 times. Two games before the end of the season, his team is 13th in the table, but still is uncertain of avoiding relegation.
In the last two years, he was receiving regular call-ups from the national team, both from current coach Paulo Sousa and his predecessor Jerzy Brzęczek. He was among the players nearly certain of playing in EURO 2020.
The 25-year-old played in all of Poland's first three games of 2022 World Cup qualification. He scored one goal against Hungary in Budapest.
Paulo Sousa is expected to announce the EURO 2020 team on Monday. The selected group will begin training on May 24 in Opalenica.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: eurosport