Russian goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulov is a fresh injury concern for the Russian national team ahead of the upcoming Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland after he limped out of the training on Tuesday night.

Gubalov, who is expected to play the role of an understudy to Igor Akinfeev these European Championships, couldn’t continue after a collision with Denis Kolodin, Gubalov’s future team mate at FC Dinamo Moskva.

"He sustained a very painful knock to his thigh. We do not think it is anything serious but we will be able to say for sure on Wednesday.” Said the team doctor Andrei Grishanov. Apart from Gubalov, Roman Adamov the Russian striker and winger Vladimir Bystrov also suffered minor knocks ahead of their friendly against Lithuania in Germany.

However, Russia’s biggest concern Pavel Pogrebnyak gave the team a lift with his fitness. The Zenith St. Petersburg striker injured his knee in Russia’s 2-1 defeat to Serbia. News comes in from the Russian camp saying that there is no need for a surgery and that Pogrebnyak will wear a special protective brace to strengthen his muscles and tendons. Russia coach Guus Hiddink has not called up a replacement for the striker either.