England midfielder Gerrard struggling to make Euro 2008 qualifiers

Steven Gerrard faces a race against time to be fit for England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers as he struggles to recover from a broken toe.

Gerrard is expected to miss Liverpool's match against Derby on Saturday because the foot injury has not fully healed, making him a major doubt for Israel's visit to Wembley on September 8 and the game against Russia the following Wednesday.

Steve McClaren is likely to name Gerrard in his England squad on Friday in the hope that the midfielder can step up his fitness next week.

England must win both matches to keep their hopes of reaching the European finals, but Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was downbeat about Gerrard's prospects.

"I have spoken to Steven and the news is not very positive," said Benitez. "The doctor will continue to help him. But it will be very difficult for him to play on Saturday."

'I made a mistake', admits Materazzi

Italy's World Cup winning defender Marco Materazzi said Thursday he had made a mistake in sledging French icon Zinedine Zidane during last year's final.

Materazzi told Zidane that he preferred his "whore of a sister" to his shirt.

It was this comment that led to Zidane headbutting the Inter Milan defender in the chest and being dramatically sent off. That incident preceded France losing the final in a penalty shoot-out.

"Six stupid words. I made a mistake but Zidane also made a mistake in reacting the way he did," said the uncompromising Materazzi, who scored in the final and one of the penalties in the shoot-out.

Materazzi was talking at the launch of his book "Life of a warrior", co-written with two Italian journalists, and released just before the Italians face France in Milan in a Euro 2008 qualifier on September 8.

The French won the first match 3-1, but Materazzi will miss the re-match after picking up a thigh injury in a friendly win over Hungary earlier this month.

"I understand why he reacted that way," added Materazzi. "It all happened in a match of high pressure. But I don't understand what came after when he was forgiven by everyone except me who had been headbutted.

"If we made peace, no-one would know about it, we would do it in private perhaps at my house or his. That's why I didn't want to say anything publically. I left the talking to others but only him and me know what happened."

Materazzi, who has undergone surgery on his injured thigh, believes he could be back in action in October.

Although he will miss the match with France in Milan, he appealed to fans to act peacefully in the return leg.

"I want spectators to greet the French team in the same way that we were welcomed by French fans in Paris. They were very fair. I ask the tifosi to do the same."

Materazzi also has his own thoughts on the one-match suspension handed out to France coach Raymond Domenech for that game.

"It's 19 years to the day that my mother died," he said. "Some things are more important."