Sporting briefs

Pato: Milan have left defender Serginho out of their squad for the final stages of the Champions League to make room for 18-year-old Brazilian forward Pato, the European champions said.

Maniche: New signing Maniche and fellow midfielders Cesar and Pele are included in Inter's Champions League squad at the expense of Santiago Solari and the injured Olivier Dacourt and Walter Samuel, the Serie A leaders said.

Ireland: Winger Andy Reid and defender Joey O'Brien are ruled out of the line-up for Ireland's friendly against Brazil next week due to injuries, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said. Reid, who joined Sunderland on Thursday, has a knee injury and Bolton Wanderers's O'Brien has a hamstring problem. Ireland caretaker manager Don Givens has drafted in Wolves duo Kevin Foley and Darren Potter as replacements.

Mwaruwari: Manchester City are still confident of signing Portsmouth striker Benjani Mwaruwari despite failing to close the deal on transfer deadline day. "It will be solved one way or another on Monday, maximum Tuesday," manager Sven-Goran Eriksson told Sky Sports before City's 3-1 defeat by Arsenal yesterday. "I think he will become a Manchester City player soon."

Thailand: Thailand's national side arrived in Japan yesterday for a 2010 World Cup qualifier after a training camp at Manchester City and victory in a warm-up game. City's billionaire Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra picked up the tab for the team to train in Manchester ahead of Wednesday's opening 2010 qualifier in Saitama.