UEFA HAVE confirmed that Turkey's first-choice goalkeeper, Volkan Demirel, must sit out tomorrow night's European Championship semi-final against Germany after the organisation turned down an appeal by his federation against a two-match ban imposed on the player for an off-the-ball push on Jan Koeller in the 3-2 group game win over the Czech Republic.

It is understood Demirel would have received the standard one-match ban had he returned immediately to the dressingrooms following his dismissal but he went to sit on the bench with his team-mates and, for that reason, he has had an extra game added to the ban.

Though not unexpected, the decision is yet another blow to coach Fatih Terim, who, between injuries and suspensions, could be missing up to 10 players for the game, leaving him with 13, including the squad's third-choice goalkeeper, to select from.

Key figures like Nihat Kahveci, Arda Turan and Tuncay Sanli are definitely out and Uefa had previously refused a request that Terim be allowed to bring in emergency replacements.

The length of the list of absentees means the Turks are likely to have Emre Belozoglu on the bench despite the 27-year-old having an ongoing problem with a hamstring injury.

Galatasaray defender Servet Cetin may also have to be pressed into action despite a knee injury but Emre Gungor and Emre Asik are out through injury and suspension respectively.

Terim's plight is in stark contrast to that of his German counterpart, Joachim Loew, who, with his own touchline ban out of the way, returns to the centre of the action with a full squad to choose from.

There is still some uncertainty as to whether Torsten Frings will actually start the game after sustaining a fractured rib against Austria - an injury that kept him out of the win over Portugal - but Loew insisted yesterday he did not see any major problem with Frings returning.

"All players are available; we are able to call on everyone," he said at the squad's base in Tenero, southern Switzerland.

"Torsten has trained as usual, but with a protective band. He didn't have any major problems and I assume that he is able to play."

Frings was replaced in the side by Simon Rolfs for the Portugal game, when a switch to 4-5-1 helped the Germans to overwhelm one of their major rivals for the title.

Loew did not say whether he would revert to the 4-4-2 employed in the group games but, he suggested, the Turkish approach would make them tougher opponents despite all of their problems.

"The Portuguese were predictable in their game," he said. "The Turks play more creatively and are not too tied to their positions. Last time, when we did not have the ball we showed huge willingness to run, and it has to be like that again against the Turks.

"We must play to our strengths and train so we can find the right things to do against them.

"It will be a tough game for us," he continued, "and we're not taking it for granted in any way.

"Keeping our feet on the ground has been an important target over the past few days. The Turks are very euphoric and technically excellent players with unbelievable morale.

"I will warn (the players) that the Turks always believe they can win a game. But I sense the concentration and that the players are very focused on the task in hand."

With more than two-million Turks residing in Germany, where another half a million or so claim Turkish ancestry, authorities are hoping the game passes off without problems.

Around 500,000 are expected to watch the match at the Fan Mile in Berlin alone. It will also be shown on big screens in major towns and cities across Germany, where there has been a growing sense of excitement about Germany's prospects of winning this tournament.

Loew, as it happens, is one of many German coaches to have worked in the Turkish league and he recalled the experience in hugely positive terms yesterday as all concerned sought to ensure that the encounter passes off good-naturedly.

"The experience of living in Turkey and coaching Fenerbahce left an incredible impression on me," he remarked.

"It is a cherished experience for me and I learned what it was like for people to be truly identified with a club. Now there is an entire nation backing the Turkish national team with their whole hearts.

"I dearly hope," the coach added, "that there are no problems surrounding this game.

"We live together in Germany and I hope the game itself, and the experience of watching it, will be a peaceful affair.

"This is just football."