Edmilson, Fred named in Brazil squad

Olympique Lyon striker Fred and Barcelona's Edmilson have been recalled to the Brazil squad for next month's friendly against United Arab Emirates.

Midfielder Edmilson has not played for Brazil since he suffered right knee ligament damage playing for Barcelona and underwent surgery a year ago.

"(Edmilson's) return to the national team had been expected ever since he played again for Barcelona," coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

"We were just waiting for (him to have) a sequence of games," he told reporters.

"He's important because he's a versatile player who plays as a centre-back and also in midfield."

Fred, who won his first cap against Guatemala in April but did not feature in the World Cup qualifiers, gets another chance because Real Madrid teammates Ronaldo and Julio Baptista are both nursing injuries.

Brazil, favourites to win a sixth World Cup in Germany next year, play UAE in Abu Dhabi on November 12. They face a Kuwait All Stars team three days later.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Dida (AC Milan), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)

Defenders: Cafu (AC Milan), Cicinho (Sao Paulo), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid), Gustavo Nery (Corinthians), Lucio (Bayern Munich), Juan, Roque Junior (both Bayer Leverkusen), Luisao (Benfica)

Midfielders: Emerson (Juventus), Gilberto Silva (Arsenal), Edmilson (Barcelona), Ze Roberto (Bayern Munich), Ricardinho (Santos), Juninho Pernambucano (Olympique Lyon), Kaka (AC Milan), Ronaldinho (Barcelona)