England midfielder Nicky Butt is out of Euro 2004 after suffering knee
ligament damage in training and will not be replaced in the 23-man squad.
"Nicky Butt has medial collateral ligament damage which he picked up in
training yesterday," a team spokesman said on Tuesday.
"It's normally a three or four-week injury. He's expected not to take any
further part in the tournament."
Even if Butt, who did not the start the opening match against France, did
recover quickly he would not be fit enough to play in the tournament which ends
on July 4.
Asked whether Butt could be replaced in the 23-man squad, the spokesman said:
"After the first match UEFA says it can only be in exceptional circumstances and
we are trying to clarify what exceptional circumstances are."
UEFA said later that no replacement would be permitted.
Butt, a defensive midfielder, was not a regular starter last season for
Manchester United and his place in the England side has been taken by Chelsea's
Frank Lampard. He suffered the injury in shooting practice.
He is the second England and United midfielder to be injured after Paul
Scholes twisted his ankle in the opening 2-1 defeat by France on Sunday.
Scholes, who plays on the left side, is rated only 50-50 to play against
Switzerland on Thursday.
If Scholes misses the Swiss game he is likely to be replaced by Bayern
Munich's Owen Hargreaves. Chelsea's Scott Parker is the stand-by midfielder in
the unlikely case that UEFA allows a replacement.
Butt's absence means coach Sven Goran Eriksson is almost certain to stick
with his 4-4-2 formation and not return to the diamond formation he used in the
build-up to the tournament.
Before Lampard's inclusion, Butt was used at the base of the diamond in front
of the back four.
Lampard forced himself into the national side after a superb season with
Chelsea but he was ill at ease in Butt's defensive role and Eriksson changed the
system to accommodate him.
Butt was one of six England players who did not train on Tuesday.
Skipper David Beckham, defender Sol Campbell and midfielder Steven Gerrard
have blisters while Gary Neville, who Eriksson had said on Monday would not
train, has a calf problem.
Aside from Scholes, Eriksson has said all should be fit to face the Swiss at
Coimbra.
