Brazil play down the nature of Anderson's knee injury

(GETTY IMAGES)

Brazil's team doctor Jose Luiz Runco does not believe the injury Anderson suffered in the 0-0 draw with Argentina on Wednesday night is serious.

The Manchester United midfielder went off in the first half of the World Cup qualifier in Belo Horizonte after twisting his left knee. Runco, who yesterday was still waiting for the results of further tests, said: "Anderson felt an injury to his knee, a twist. However, it doesn't seem so serious. We will be sure only after the MRI scans."

Anderson had been selected to play for the Brazil Under-23 side in a friendly against a combination of Rio de Janeiro-based players on Sunday, and Runco added: "Only after the scans will we be able to make a decision about Anderson's participation in Sunday's match."

Not so lucky is the France winger Franck Ribéry, who will be out of action for as long as eight weeks following successful surgery yesterday to repair a tear in the ligament of his left ankle.

The Bayern Munich chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, quoted the chief of the clinic and the doctor that treated Ribéry as saying the operation "went perfectly". Ribéry will remain in hospital for a few days and will then have a three-week holiday given to all the Bayern players at the European Championship.

Upon his return, Ribéry will start his rehabilitation programme. If there are no setbacks, he might be ready for the start of the Bundesliga season in mid-August, Bayern said in a statement.

Ribery fell awkwardly in France's 2-0 defeat to Italy on Tuesday and was examined a day later at the Germany team's hotel by the team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, who is also Bayern's medical chief.

John Arne Riise meanwhile, who joined Roma on Wednesday, can look back on his Liverpool career with pride, according to his former team-mate Jamie Carragher.

"John Arne has been a great player for Liverpool for six or seven seasons," Carragher said. "He's played at a very high level for a long time now. He's never injured and he's a great professional who has always looked after himself. He can be very proud of what he's achieved with Liverpool."