Carlos hopes for Brazilian tonic

Real Madrid's Roberto Carlos has gone back to Brazil in a bid to resolve his ongoing knee problem and will miss the crunch clash with Barcelona.

Like Barcelona's Rivaldo, the Madrid defender is seeking advice and perhaps a miracle cure back home for the tendonitis he is suffering in his right knee.

Roberto Carlos will be under
the guidance of expert doctor Nivaldo Baldo for the next four days and hopefully should be fit and well to take part in Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Bolivia on November 7.

Real Madrid's medical team have decided against operating on the player's knee but have prescribed anti-inflammatories and a light physiotherapy regime.

Roberto Carlos said on Monday, before jetting out to Sao Paulo: "I would give everything to play against Barcelona next Sunday and I'm sure that if I hadn't been called up by Brazil then I would have recovered in time for it. But I'm leaving my place in capable hands, Raúl Bravo is demonstrating that he is a great player and that there's no need to sign more defenders because we have all we need in the youth teams to see us through the season."