Ex-Liverpool defender Aurelio set for Gremio debut

Rio de Janeiro: Former Liverpool and Valencia defender Fabio Aurelio is set to make his debut for Brazilian top-flight club Gremio, more than nine months after suffering a serious knee injury.

The 33-year-old trained freely on Wednesday and was included in coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo`s preliminary squad to face Cruzeiro in the Campeonato Gaucho on Thursday. Aurelio underwent surgery in July to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee suffered during a training exercise just days after signing with the Porto Alegre club. He will compete for Gremio`s left-back spot with Arsenal loanee Andre Santos and highly rated teenager Guilherme Biteco. Aurelio was released by Liverpool in June last year after six seasons and 87 first-team appearances for the Merseyside club. He also spent six years at Valencia having joined the Spanish outfit from Sao Paulo in September 2000. IANS