Posted By: Mark Thatcher

By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer WriterMon Nov 13, 5:22 PM ET

LONDON - Ask Manchester United fans if they'd be happy for England to beat the Netherlands on Wednesday if it meant Wayne Rooney leaving the game with a broken leg. See if Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello would celebrate an Italian victory over Turkey if Fabio Cannavaro came back with damaged knee ligaments.
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While those scenarios may be unlikely, club managers will be holding their breath in hopes their star players don't get hurt on duty with their national teams.

FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Alessandro Del Piero of Juventus and Borussia Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Kasey Keller already are on European club soccer's long injury list.

Now comes another chance to make it even longer.

Alongside seven European Championship qualifying games Wednesday are 17 more friendlies. No points at stake, just the prestige of winning the game and maybe the chance to try out some new players or tactics.

Big deal.

Instead of taking a rare midweek rest — most clubs play two games a week — the players are back on the road, some traveling several hundreds miles to play yet another game.

On top of the upheaval that goes with travel and the exertions of training and the match itself, there's the very strong chance of picking up an injury that should never have happened.

Europe's biggest clubs — Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich — each have up to 17 players away on international duty this week.

They have to break from club training, fly to another city for national squad practice, play a game and then return to their clubs in time for domestic matches on Saturday or Sunday.

While national team coaches demand their attendance and have the support of FIFA, it's a no-win situation for the club managers.

Manchester United's Alex Ferguson is already headed for an argument with Portugal's Luiz Felipe Scolari over the selection of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal is playing a Euro 2008 qualifying game against Kazakhstan. Ronaldo has an ankle injury and Ferguson believes he should not be risked against a comparatively weak team.

"It's against Kazakhstan, so you would have thought Portugal could handle that without Ronaldo," Ferguson said. "But, if he's got one of these injuries which is 50-50, I hope he doesn't play."

Critics could say that, if they want to hire the biggest stars, the club managers have to accept it when the national teams come calling. But for friendlies?

Having already lost Messi for up to three months, imagine how Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard will feel if Ronaldinho limps home from Brazil's game against Switzerland.

Lyon's Gerard Houllier and Arsenal's Arsene Wenger have often complained about these friendlies. Because the clubs pay the players' salaries, they are furious when they return from international duty injured or burned out.

"What the national coaches are doing is like taking the car from his garage without even asking his permission," Wenger said. "Then they'll use his car and abandon it in a field without any petrol in the tank.

"We'll then have to recover it, but it is broken down. Then, a month later, they'll come to take your car again and, for good measure, you're expected to be nice about it."

With an Aston Martin-like Thierry Henry in the garage, Wenger is entitled to be worried about his star striker's appearance for France against Greece. The Gunners are striving to catch up with Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premier League title race and are in a close fight for a spot in the next round of the Champions League.

The German soccer federation responded to growing criticism from many clubs Monday by saying that a March 28 friendly would be used to test potential internationals and that top players would be rested.

"We see the problem, but the solution cannot come from our side," Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff said.

At this time of the season, the top clubs are all chasing titles on several fronts. Although AC Milan is trying to make up a 15-point Serie A punishment imposed for a match-fixing scandal, the club is doing well in the Champions League. Most of the powerhouse sides in contention should make it to the last 16 of European soccer's most prestigious club competition.

That means they all need their best players available as often as possible. Friendlies like these are at best a hindrance, at worst a hazard for serious injury.

Yes, the fans get the chance to see their national teams in action. But maybe they wouldn't mind missing out if it meant assurances that their clubs can field a full-strength lineup this weekend when three points are at stake.

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