Pepe set for Portugal return
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Magaliesburg - Portugal defensive midfielder Pepe will make his return after a six-month absence in a friendly against Mozambique on Tuesday, coach Carlos Queiroz announced on Monday.
"Pepe will play a good few minutes," said Queiroz at a press conference.
"He'll come on in the second half, when the rhythm and the intensity of the match have dropped. It will be good for him to get some time on the ball."
Pepe, 27, has been in a race against time to prove his fitness for the World Cup after sustaining a serious knee injury in December while playing for his club Real Madrid, for whom he plays at centre-back.
His participation in the South Africa showpiece was finally confirmed when Portugal's medical staff gave the green light for him to be included in Queiroz's 23-man squad for the June 11-July 11 tournament.
Portugal, semi-finalists in 2006, play Mozambique in Johannesburg on Tuesday in their final warm-up match before embarking upon their Group G campaign against Ivory Coast in Port Elizabeth on June 15.
Pepe, who has 24 caps, took part in training here at the picturesque Bekker High School, west of Johannesburg and his return will boost Portugal ahead of the first game, while the Africans have worries of their own.
Their captain Didier Drogba is struggling to be fit after breaking his elbow in Friday's friendly against Japan and had a successful operation in Bern, Switerland, at the weekend.
Drogba is key to the Elephants' hopes of progressing out of Group G, which also includes Brazil and North Korea.
The African Player of the Year scored 37 goals in all competitions for Chelsea last season and his absence would be a huge blow to Sven-Goran Eriksson's side, said Portugal defender Bruno Alves.
"We know all about Drogba, he is a world-class player," said the Porto centre-back.
"We know the Ivory Coast have special players in their team, but we have to think about the overall team, not just an individual.
"However, Drogba is an excellent player for the Ivory Coast and they will miss him. If he is not able to play, the World Cup will miss him."
One of the highlights of the World Cup's group stage will see Portugal take on South American giants Brazil in Durban on June 25, but Alves says his side plan on qualifying for the last 16 before the mouth-watering clash.
"The Brazilian team is very strong, everyone knows their players," said 28-year-old Alves, whose side play North Korea on June 21.
"The team has great strength in depth in every area, technically and tactically.
"We will do our best to make sure we have already qualified before this game and then we will do everything to beat Brazil.
"We know we have the potential to beat them and our players believe in themselves."
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