Turkey have been dealt a severe blow to their chances of qualifying from Group A of the Euro 2008 Championships after it emerged that both first choice central defenders Gokhan Zan and Servet Cetin suffered injuries in the opening match defeat against Portugal.

Zan, who plays for Besiktas is definitely ruled out of the game against Switzerland on Wednesday but may return for the final group match against Czech Republic. He injured his knee in a collision with Portugal’s Simao Sabrosa early in the second half and was substituted shortly afterwards.

Galatasaray defender Servet Cetin injured his knee early in the game but continued to play for the whole match through the pain barrier. There are now doubts over his continued involvement in the tournament.

Turkey coach, Fatih Terim is now faced with a massive injury crisis at the heart of his defense ahead of Wednesday’s crucial match. It seems likely that Zan’s replacement on Saturday, Emre Asik will be expected to deputize, but despite his experience, the 35 year old is rarely favored by Terim.