• Uncapped 23-year-old not in preliminary selection
• 'We were short in defence,' explains Dick Advocaat
The Russia coach Dick Advocaat surprisingly named the uncapped CSKA Moscow defender Kirill Nababkin in their final 23-man squad for Euro 2012.
The 25-year-old right-back, who was not in the preliminary 26-man list announced by Advocaat two weeks ago, was added to the final roster after the Russians lost two defenders, Vasily Berezutsky and Roman Shishkin, to injury and illness.
"We had to call up Nababkin because we were short in defence," Advocaat said. "In case something happens to our starting right-back Alexander Anyukov he could give us some cover."
Russia, who face the Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland, the 2004 European champions Greece and the Czech Republic in Group A, now have six defenders, although the wingers Yuri Zhirkov and Dmitri Kombarov can also help out at the back if needed.
Advocaat also omitted two debutants, the midfielder Magomed Ozdoyev and the striker Artem Dzyuba, from the preliminary squad to make room for Nababkin, who has had some Champions League experience playing for his club.
"We had to have a balanced squad with enough defenders, midfielders and attackers," said the Dutchman, who will step down following the tournament to take charge of the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven. "As for Nababkin, I've seen him play for CSKA. He has enough international experience."
Earlier this month, Advocaat dropped the experienced midfielders Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Vladimir Bystrov from the preliminary squad, preferring to call up the newcomer Alexander Kokorin instead.
Russia's captain, Andrei Arshavin, and the striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, who excelled at Euro 2008 where the Russians reached the semi-finals but have struggled to regain their top form this season, were included in the final roster. The Sporting Lisbon midfielder Marat Izmailov, who had not played for the national team since 2006, also made the final cut.
Russia Euro 2012 squad
Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg), Anton Shunin (Dynamo Moscow).
Defenders: Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Roman Sharonov (Rubin Kazan), Vladimir Granat (Dynamo Moscow), Kirill Nababkin (CSKA Moscow).
Midfielders: Igor Denisov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Yuri Zhirkov (Anzhi Makhachkala), Alan Dzagoyev (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Denis Glushakov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Marat Izmailov (Sporting Lisbon), Dmitri Kombarov (Spartak Moscow).
Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal), Alexander Kerzhakov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Lokomotiv Moscow), Alexander Kokorin (Dynamo Moscow), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham).
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