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Page last updated at 13:55 GMT, Tuesday, 24 March 2009

Ribeiro targets Wales U21 return

Venue: Stade du Complexe Sportif Deich, Ettelbruck, Luxembourg Date: Friday, 27 March Kick-off: 1830 GMT Coverage: Updates on BBC Radio Wales


Christian Ribeiro
Christian Ribeiro has been tipped to have a bright future

Defender Christian Ribeiro is hoping to make his Wales Under-21s return during their Euro 2011 qualifying campaign.

The highly-rated 19-year-old is nearing fitness after being out of action since last August when he picked up a serious knee injury on his Bristol City debut.

But he will not make the opening two games, a double-header against Luxembourg on Friday and next Tuesday.

Ribeiro said: "As well as first team games for Bristol City, my other target is to play in those games for Wales."

Brian Flynn's youngsters narrowly missed out on a place in this year's European Championships in Sweden.

They reached the play-offs but lost to England 5-4 on aggregate.

Now they have been grouped with Italy, Hungary and Bosnia as well as Luxembourg in the group stage for the following tournament which takes place in Denmark in 2011.

Wales travel to Luxembourg on Friday before hosting them at Parc Y Scarlets next Tuesday. They do not play again until the visit of Hungary in August.

Ribeiro, capped twice at U21 level, was given his first team bow for Bristol City in the Carling Cup win over Peterborough last August.

606: DEBATE

But his debut lasted just 26 minutes after suffering Anterior Cruciate Ligament damage.

"I still remember the game, but I don't class that as my debut," said Ribeiro. "I think when I'm playing again and complete 90 minutes, then I'll call that game my debut.

"It was going so well, that's the most frustrating thing. I remember thinking out on the pitch 'this is going so well'.

"Obviously to have that cut short was frustrating and I when I did the injury I thought this can't be happening to me."

Ribeiro has been undergoing rehabilitation ever since and was with the Wales squad for the play-offs as a spectator.

"Brian Flynn actually took me along on the team bus to be in and around the set-up for the matches," he told Bristol City's magazine Well Red.

"I know I'm coming to the end of the rehabilitation now and the most important thing is I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

"I want to be back in full training within a month, but (Bristol City physio) Nick Dawes has already told me he doesn't want me playing.

"He'd prefer that I continue to strengthen the knee right through the summer and come back ready for pre-season."

Meanwhile Swansea City's Ashley Richards has been called into Brian Flynn's Under-21 squad due to fitness doubts over Cardiff defender Darcy Blake.



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see also
Wales face Italy in Under-21 draw
04 Feb 09 |  Welsh
Flynn proud of Welsh youngsters
14 Oct 08 |  Welsh
Defender Ribeiro out for a year
13 Aug 08 |  Bristol City
Ribeiro earns first City contract
14 Dec 06 |  Bristol City
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales


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