Mueller given time to make Swiss Euro 2008 squad

BERNE, Switzerland, May 13 (Reuters) - Experienced central defender Patrick Mueller has been given a chance to prove his fitness for Euro 2008 after being called up in a provisional 26-man squad by Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn on Tuesday.

Mueller, 31, tore a cruciate knee ligament in December but recently resumed training with French first division leaders Olympique Lyon and played 65 minutes in a reserve match watched by Kuhn at the weekend.

"Of course you can't compare the match to games at the highest level but he is back playing," Kuhn said after unveiling his provisional squad for the June 7-29 tournament at a media conference in Berne.

"I've had talks with him and there is still some uncertainty (about his Euro 2008 chances) but we will try to use all the time we have left. Patrick knows it is going to be very tight."

Switzerland's central defence have proved extremely effective in recent years, most notably at the 2006 World Cup where the Swiss became the first team ever to exit the tournament without conceding a goal in regular or extra time.

Questions over the form and match fitness of fellow Arsenal defenders Philippe Senderos and Johan Djourou have however left many Swiss fans desperately hoping that Mueller can force his way back into contention.

Kuhn said he had asked Mueller to speak to Lyon about being released to play in Switzerland's Euro 2008 warm-up against Slovakia on May 24, the same day Lyon meet Paris Saint-Germain in the French Cup final.

"We cannot demand his release," Kuhn acknowledged. "But if he is just going to be sitting on the bench for Lyon then we would much rather he is allowed to play in what could be an important test for him against Slovakia."

Right back Philipp Degen has also made Kuhn's first cut, despite still suffering from a torn leg joint, but there was no place in the squad for his twin brother David who has been ruled out with a groin injury.

"David Degen has made very good progress," Kuhn said. "The injury is one thing but there is also the big competition he faces from other players. I am glad though that I have more than 23 players to choose from and that there are some I have to disappoint."

Defensive midfielder Blerim Dzemaili misses out as expected after failing to secure a first-team place at English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers despite recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.

Kuhn said he planned to name his definitive 23-man squad for the tournament, which Switzerland are co-hosting with Austria, on the May 28 deadline.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Diego Benaglio (VfL Wolfsburg), Pascal Zuberbuehler (Neuchatel Xamax), Fabio Coltorti (Racing Santander) Defenders: Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund), Johannes Djourou (Arsenal), Mario Eggimann (Karlsruhe), Stephane Grichting (AJ Auxerre), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Lille), Ludovic Magnin (VfB Stuttgart), Patrick Mueller (Olympique Lyon), Philippe Senderos (Arsenal), Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt), Steve von Bergen (Hertha Berlin) Midfielders: Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen), Valon Behrami (Lazio), Ricardo Cabanas (Grasshoppers Zurich), Gelson Fernandes (Manchester City), Daniel Gygax (Metz), Benjamin Huggel (Basel), Gokhan Inler (Udinese), Johan Vonlanthen (Salzburg), Hakan Yakin (Young Boys) Forwards: Eren Derdiyok (Basel), Alexander Frei (Borussia Dortmund), Blaise Nkufo (Twente Enschede), Marco Streller (Basel) (Editing by Clare Fallon)