Roberto Carlos needs a rest, say Real Madrid
Real Madrid have written to the Brazilian soccer federation to warn them that their defender Roberto Carlos needs a rest of between 10 and 15 days and should miss at least one of the country's final two World Cup qualifiers.
Real Madrid have written to the Brazilian soccer federation to warn them that their defender Roberto Carlos needs a rest of between 10 and 15 days and should miss at least one of the country's final two World Cup qualifiers.
Roberto Carlos was named in the Brazil squad for the decisive games against Bolivia on November 7 and Venezuela seven days later.
Real believe a long-standing knee injury should keep him out of the first game and almost certainly the second.
"Our advice is that he should not play against Bolivia and that it's almost impossible for him to play against Venezuela," club doctor Juan Carlos Hernandez said.
"We believe that for the next 10 to 15 days he should do no work on the injured leg. Depending on how well he recovers he could play against Venezuela but it will be difficult."
Earlier on Tuesday, Bayern Munich said that Brazilian striker Elber will not travel home for the World Cup qualifiers because he is injured.
Bayern's commerical manager Uli Hoeness criticised Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for calling up Elber, who is recuperating from a knee injury.
"Elber will stay here whatever happens. Brazil's trainer Mr Scolari wants to annoy us again. He recently called up Elber for duty twice and left him on the bench. We have the best doctors in the world. We don't need a doctor in Brazil to confirm our diagnoses."