GEEL, Belgium, June 25 (Reuters) - Italian midfielder Antonio Conte has ruptured ligaments in his right ankle and is out of Euro 2000, Italy's team doctor said on Sunday.

'He has suffered a third grade injury to the anterior ligaments on his right ankle,' doctor Andrea Ferretti told reporters at Italy's training camp.

'It means he's out of the rest of the tournament. He had a magnetic resonance test in hospital this morning and now he's back on base.'

Conte was the victim of a brutal challenge by Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi in the 54th minute of Italy's 2-0 quarter-final victory on Saturday night and had to be stretchered from the pitch.

Ferretti said Hagi went into the Italian changing room after the match to apologise.

The doctor said there was no further word on Italy captain Paolo Maldini, who injured a left thigh muscle and was substituted at half time.

'I haven't seen Paolo this morning because I've been at the hospital with Conte,' Ferretti said. 'He'll probaby have a magnetic resonance test tomorrow.'

'He could recover in time (for Italy's semifinal against either the Netherlands or Yugoslavia next Thursday) but I have to stress I haven't heard anything about his injury since last night.'

Conte was replaced against the Romanians by Inter Milan's Luigi di Biagio who would be his natural stand-in for the rest of the tournament.

Maldini's replacement would probably be Juventus utility player Gianluca Pessotto, who went on as substitute for him at halftime on Saturday.