Vladimir Smicer believes the Czech's would have qualified for the quarter-finals of Euro 2000 if his Liverpool team-mate Patrik Berger had not been suspended for their opening two matches.

Winger Smicer has been a member of the Czech team which lost by the odd goal against France and Holland in their opening two matches.

They face Denmark in Liege on Wednesday in their final match of this year's championship and Berger will be included by coach Josef Chovanec after serving his suspension for a sending off against the Faroe Islands in qualifying.

'We are not going to take the final game easily just because we have lost our chances to qualify,' said Chovanec.

'I will field up the best possible team at this moment, although one certain change will be Patrik Berger's position in the starting line-up.'

Smicer added: 'Patrik is someone who can be a match-winner and any team would miss a player of his quality.

'It was hard for him and for the rest of the team that he was suspended for the first two games of this tournament.

"I think we really missed him. He is always capable of scoring a goal. In fact, I think we would have done much better in Euro 2000 if we had had him in our team from the start.'

Berger has 18 international goals to his name and was the Czechs' star man at Euro 96, scoring the penalty which put them one up against Germany in the Wembley final before they eventually lost on the golden goal.

'If we had had Patrik and a bit of luck, then anything would have been possible,' said Smicer.

They may be packing their suitcases and returning home early, but the Czechs are determined to finish their campaign with a win.

'To many people say our game against Denmark is meaningless since both countries are already out,' said Smicer.

'To say we were all disappointed to go out in the first round is putting things mildly. I don't think we have had much luck.

'However, we are preparing as seriously for this match as we have done our two others and we really want to mark our appearance in this tournament with a victory.

'We certainly believe we deserve one after our two performances against the Dutch and the French.'

The Danes have been uninspiring on the whole, barring the opening minutes of their match against France. They should have been ahead after 10 minutes but failed to make the most of their chances and went on to lose 3-0, the same score they lost by against Holland.

Ajax winger Jesper Gronkjaer has been their most impressive outfield player and has been linked with a move away from the Amsterdam Arena.

But his side will be packing their bags and going home this week after failing to lift their game for the competition which gave them their greatest footballing triumph in 1992.

Tomorrow's match ends the reign of Bo Johansson as national coach. The Swede was to be replaced by Morten Olsen regardless of how the Danes performed this summer.

But it will not mark the end of Peter Schmeichel's international career, with the great Dane determined to keep playing at the top level until the 2002 World Cup.

'I just want to carry on for as long as I can and for as long as I enjoy it,' said the former Manchester United goalkeeper.