Rosicky gives Czechs hope as he resumes training.
Captain Tomas Rosicky training with squad on Wednesday.- Photo by AFP

Czech Republic captain, Tomas Rosicky, resumed training on Wednesday, giving some cause for optimism that he will be able to start Thursday's Euro 2012 quarter-final against Portugal in Warsaw, the Czech Football Association said.

The 31-year-old playmaker - a member of the flair-filled Czech side that reached the Euro semi-finals in 2004 - has been struggling with an inflamed Achilles tendon injury which kept him out of the final group match (a 1-0 win over Poland) and saw him return to Prague for treatment.

However, the Arsenal star was able to do some light training on Wednesday ahead of the squad's departure for Warsaw later, where the semi-final takes place.

“Rosicky returned to the team after two-days of treatment in Prague and underwent light training,” the association said.

“It's still true that we will decide whether he will play or not only before the game,” national team spokesman Jaroslav Kolar said on the association website.

Rosicky suffered his latest setback during the first-half of the 2-1 win over Greece in their second group match, and while he was ably replaced by Daniel Kolar the skipper is pivotal to the side.

Rosicky's career has been plagued by injuries, and after missing Euro 2008 he had also been a doubt for this edition after suffering a calf injury in Arsenal's last Premier League match of the season.

The Czech captain left Wroclaw for Prague on Sunday to undergo treatment on his Achilles tendon under the supervision of a renowned Czech physiotherapist.

Opinion

Editorial

By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...
Not without reform
Updated 22 Apr, 2024

Not without reform

The problem with us is that our ruling elite is still trying to find a way around the tough reforms that will hit their privileges.
Raisi’s visit
22 Apr, 2024

Raisi’s visit

IRANIAN President Ebrahim Raisi, who begins his three-day trip to Pakistan today, will be visiting the country ...
Janus-faced
22 Apr, 2024

Janus-faced

THE US has done it again. While officially insisting it is committed to a peaceful resolution to the...