Soccer-Injured Mutu out of Romania squad for Russia friendly

BUCHAREST, March 11 (Reuters) - Key striker Adrian Mutu, who is nursing a knee injury, will miss Romania's Euro 2008 warm-up against fellow finalists Russia in two weeks time, coach Victor Piturca said on Tuesday.

Piturca did not include Mutu, who could return on the bench for Fiorentina this weekend, among 11 foreign-based players he picked for the friendly in Bucharest on March 26. He said he would give Mutu more time to fully recover.

Piturca named in-form striker Marius Niculae of Scottish club Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the squad which he will complete with players from the domestic league next week.

Romania face France, Italy and the Netherlands in the group stage at the European Championship finals in Austria and Switzerland in June.

Squad (foreign-based players only):

Defenders: Cosmin Contra (Getafe), George Ogararu (Ajax Amsterdam), Gabriel Tamas (AJ Auxerre), Stefan Radu (Lazio), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Midfielders: Cristian Chivu (Inter Milan), Florentin Petre (CSKA Sofia), Razvan Cocis (Lokomotiv Moscow), Marius Niculae (Inverness Caledonian Thistle), Daniel Niculae (AJ Auxerre), Ciprian Marica (VfB Stuttgart). (Reporting by Radu Timofte, editing by Rex Gowar)