Sporting briefs

Ballack: Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack had surgery to remove swollen nerve tissue in both feet yesterday and will be out for two weeks, the German FA said in a statement. Ballack, the Germany captain, had the brief surgery in an Augsburg clinic after consulting with his Premier League club, the DFB said. The surgery went "well and without complications".

Reid: Blackburn Rovers' injury-plagued Ireland midfielder Steven Reid has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee problem, manager Paul Ince said. Reid, who missed almost the entire 2006-07 season with knee and back injuries, joins fellow midfielder David Dunn on Rovers's long-term injury list and is expected to be out for six or seven months.

Gonzalez: Real Betis's Chile forward Mark Gonzalez will be out of action for about three months with twisted right knee ligaments, the Primera Liga club said. The former Liverpool player was taken to hospital after a collision with Argentina's Nicolas Burdisso during Chile's 1-0 win in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

Manchester United: English champions Manchester United expect to welcome England midfielders Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves back from injury for today's home match against West Brom. Carrick has been struggling with an ankle problem suffered in last month's loss at Liverpool while Hargreaves has been consistently troubled by a tendinitis injury and has started just one league game this season.

Makelele: Paris St Germain midfielder Claude Makelele, who has not played for a month because of a thigh injury, will return when the capital club welcome Lorient today. "The pain is nearly gone and I'm ready to play," the former France and Chelsea player told reporters.

Gourcuff: Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud was irritated to hear Milan officials tell Italian media they wanted Yoann Gourcuff back. The 22-year-old, who is in great form, joined Bordeaux on loan from Milan during the summer break. "They say that if he keeps playing like that, he will go back to Milan," Triaud said. "It's not that simple. We have an option to buy him."

Snooker: Grand Prix quarter-finals - Trump bt O'Sullivan 5-4; Carter bt Davis 5-3.

Tennis: World number two Roger Federer has surpassed Pete Sampras to become the all-time leader in career prize money earnings in men's tennis, the ATP said yesterday. The five-times US Open champion took his career earnings to over $43.3 million at the Madrid Masters this week. American Sampras earned $43,280,489 in a glittering career that included 14 grand slam titles.

Golf: The Tiger Woods-hosted AT&T National will move from Bethesda, Maryland to suburban Philadelphia in 2010 and 2011. Congressional Country Club, the venue for the last two years, will stage the event again in 2009 before making way for Aronimink Golf Club. The AT&T National, the first event to be hosted by Woods on the PGA Tour, raises money for the Tiger Woods Foundation and pays tribute to men and women serving in the US armed forces.