The future of Germany's goalkeeper Oliver Kahn appeared in doubt last night after it emerged that he is suffering from a mysterious eye condition and can no longer see the ball properly.
Kahn - who was voted player of the tournament in last year's World Cup - appears to be suffering from an extreme form of conjunctivitis. The German captain's condition is so bad that he has "fuzzy" vision, and has problems seeing crosses, claimed Germany's Bild Zeitung.
Over the weekend, speculation grew that Kahn, who plays for Bayern Munich, might soon be forced to retire after he let in three goals against Leverkusen.
Kahn's eye problems began three months ago. Doctors have carried out numerous tests and prescribed antibiotics - but so far they have not worked. "The doctors don't know what it is. They are trying everything. We have to watch out that it doesn't become chronic," Bayern's coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said.
Kahn added: "I used to shrug this off but I'm now taking it very seriously. The mental pressure is immense."
UEFA was yesterday accused of appointing referees biased against Romania and other teams from eastern Europe.
Mircea Sandu, president of the Romanian Football Association, made the allegation, adding: "UEFA has a problem, because we received similar signals from Hungary, Lithuania and Ukraine."
