07.06.2016 12:25 h

Yusupov confirmed in injury-hit Russia squad

Zenit Saint Petersburg midfielder Artur Yusupov will replace Igor Denisov in Russia's injury-depleted Euro 2016 squad, the European football governing body UEFA said Tuesday.

"Confirmed: Artur Yusupov replaces injured midfielder Igor Denisov (hamstring) in Russia's Euro 2016 squad," UEFA wrote on its Euro 2016 Twitter page.

The highly rated Denisov told AFP on Monday that he had sustained a hamstring injury on Sunday during a friendly against Serbia, which ended 1-1, and that he would miss the Euros which kick off on Friday in France.

Yusupov trained with the Russian squad on Monday, but the RFU had yet to officially announce he would be replacing Denisov.

Russia have already lost Alan Dzagoev after the influential CSKA Moscow midfielder fractured a bone in his foot last month with Dmitry Torbinsky of FC Krasnodar filling his vacated spot.

Russia, hosts of the 2018 World Cup, have been drawn alongside England, Slovakia and Wales in Group B for Euro 2016.