Sporting chance for Jardel

Sporting Clube de Portugal striker Mario Jardel could be back in action next month after the club and player made their peace.

Poor start
The Portuguese double winners have suffered this season without Jardel, who has been suffering from depression. They were eliminated in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League and, after just four rounds of the domestic season, find themselves in seventh place in the Portuguese Super Liga, five points behind leaders SL Benfica.

Back in Lisbon
Jardel, 29, who arrived back in Lisbon earlier this week after a spell recuperating in Brazil, saw the club's medical staff on his return and they allowed him another two weeks of sick leave. However, the player could return to action soon after that depending on his fitness.

'Every effort'
"We will make every effort, on all levels, to ensure the player recovers as quickly as his condition allows so that he can return to action as rapidly as possible," Sporting said in a statement today. Although the player wanted to leave in the summer, the passing of the transfer deadline at the start of September meant there was no chance of any deal being done until the window in January.

All to do
While he will not be back in time for Sporting's vital UEFA Cup first round second-leg match at FK Partizan next week, the latest development will give everyone at the club a lift. Sporting lost the first leg at home 3-1 last week and have it all to do in the return next Thursday. Scoring goals has been the main problem this season, with fellow forwards João Pinto and Sá Pinto also yet to figure this season.

Marital problems
The Brazilian striker, who won Europe's Golden Shoe last season with 42 goals, had asked to be allowed to return home in July after claiming he was suffering from depression. He cited marital problems and the disappointment at missing out on the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals as the reason behind the request.