Pavlyuchenko to miss Ireland and Macedonia ties

Tottenham Hotspur forward Roman Pavlyuchenko will miss Russia’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Ireland and Macedonia with an ankle injury, Russian media reported on Tuesday.

Russian national manager Dick Advocaat has called Zenit St Petersburg striker Alexander Bukharov to replace the injured Pavlyuchenko.

Another Zenit marksman Alexander Kerzhakov is also uncertain for the upcoming Group B matches and will have to undergo tests.

Reports also said that Advocaat has invited Rubin Kazan midfielder Alan Kasayev into his squad.

“Pavlyuchenko was sidelined with an ankle injury,” Advocaat told the press.

“Kerzhakov has certain problems with his thigh muscle and will undergo medical tests.”

Russia face Ireland in Dublin on October 8 and Macedonia in Skopje four days later, in a major test for a side still regrouping after the disappointment of its failure to make the World Cup finals.