Ex-Liverpool defender Aurelio set for Gremio debut

Fábio Aurélio during a training session of Gremio at Olimpico stadium on January 04, 2013 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Getty Images)

Rio de Janeiro, March 28 (IANS): 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 Wednesday and was included in coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s preliminary squad to face Cruzeiro in the Campeonato Gaucho 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.