Sporting forced to do without Rogério

Sporting Clube de Portugal defender Rogério will miss the Portuguese Liga club's UEFA Cup first round second leg match against Halmstads BK after undergoing a hernia operation.

Three-week absence
The Brazilian full-back had been carrying the injury for some time, but it had become unmanageable, and the only solution was surgery. As a result, the 29-year-old is likely to be out of action for three weeks. Sporting lead 2-1 from the first leg of their UEFA Cup first round tie, going into the return encounter at the José Alvalade stadium on Thursday.