Injury sidelines Isaksson for Euro 2008 matches

Swedish goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson puts the ball into play during a match at Munich's World Cup stadium in June 2006. Sweden will be without their star goalkeeper Isaksson for upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Spain and Iceland due to a knee injury, a Swedish daily has said.

Sweden will be without their star goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson for upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Spain and Iceland due to a knee injury, a Swedish daily has said.

Isaksson injured a ligament in his right knee after colliding with a fellow Manchester City player during a training session.

"If the ligament is partly loose (Isaksson could be out) for three to four weeks," Sweden team doctor Magnus Forssblad told Expressen.

The player was transferred in August from French side Rennes to the Manchester club, for whom he has yet to play a game, in a 3.7-million-dollar (2.9-million-euro) deal.

Sweden face Group F favourites Spain on October 7 and Iceland on October 11.

Isaksson missed his country's first two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Latvia and Liechtenstein earlier in September after surgery on his right foot.

The 6ft 6in stopper has been capped 42 times by his country and was Sweden's first-choice keeper during this summer's World Cup.

Sweden coach Lars Lagerbaeck is due to name his squad for the Spain match, including Isaksson's replacement, on September 26.

Fredrikstad's Egyptian-born Rami Shaaban took Isaksson's place between the sticks for the Latvia and Liechtenstein games.