Polga injury blow hits Sporting

Sporting Clube de Portugal centre-back Anderson Polga will miss the second leg of his side's UEFA Cup quarter-final against Rangers FC on Thursday after tearing a thigh muscle at the weekend.

'Definitely out'
The 29-year-old former Brazilian international limped off after 72 minutes of the 2-0 home victory over SC Braga on Sunday and now faces a spell on the sidelines. "Polga has probably torn a muscle in his right thigh," Sporting medical director José Gomes Pereira said. "He will undergo tests in the next 48 hours to evaluate the problem and to determine how long he will be out, but he is definitely out of the Rangers game."

Gladstone chance
In Polga's absence, his compatriot Gladstone, a 23-year-old who arrived on a season's loan from Cruzeiro EC last summer, is likely to start alongside Tonel in central defence. The Lisbon team, who drew 0-0 with Rangers in Glasgow last week, are fourth in the Liga, two points adrift of SL Benfica and Vitória SC in the race for a UEFA Champions League berth.