Uncapped Edu named in Brazil squad
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Arsenal midfielder Edu was one of four uncapped players named in the Brazil squad on Tuesday for this month's friendly in Hungary.
Edu is joined by AS Roma full-back Mancini and German-based defenders Bordon and Dede while Real Madrid striker Ronaldo is rested.
Ronaldo, who is expected to be out of action for two weeks with a hamstring injury, was excluded from the match in Budapest on doctor's orders.
"This is his second injury in around one month, he has played 70 games already this season and we don't want to take any risks," coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.
"We want to preserve his health. He's not being dropped," added Parreira, who said he wanted Ronaldo fully fit for June, when Brazil face World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Chile.
The world champions will be attempting to end a run of four successive draws -- the last two of them goalless -- and beat Hungary for the first time in the April 28 match.
The two sides have met four times with three draws and a win for Hungary at the infamous 1954 World Cup match dubbed "The Battle of Berne."
Parreira has been under increasing pressure to include Edu and Mancini and he said the Hungary match was the perfect chance to experiment.
"This will give us the chance to bring in some players who we've been observing for a while and who have been waiting for a chance," he said.
Parreira denied he had been swung by reports that Edu would consider playing for England. "That never came into it," he said.
Volatile Sao Paulo striker Luis Fabiano, one of the top Brazilians still in his homeland, was also included along with Cruzeiro playmaker Alex.
Brazil squad:
Goalkeepers Marcos (Palmeiras), Dida (AC Milan, Italy)
Defenders Cafu (AC Milan), Mancini (AS Roma, Italy), Dede (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid, Spain), Bordon (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Juan (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Lucio (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Roque Junior (Siena, Italy)
Midfielders- Edmilson (Olympique Lyon, France), Edu (Arsenal, England), Julio Baptista (Sevilla, Spain), Alex (Cruzeiro), Renato (Santos), Felipe (Flamengo), Juninho Permanbucano (Olympique Lyon, France), Ze Roberto (Bayern Munich, Germany), Kaka (AC Milan)
Forwards Ronaldinho Gaucho (Barcelona, Spain), Luis Fabiano (Sao Paulo), Adriano (Inter Milan, Italy)