Porto win back place in Champions League

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Uefa has confirmed that Porto will play in the Champions League next season.

The Portuguese champions had their ban from the competition for their part in a bribery scandal overturned on Friday by Uefa's appeals body pending a new hearing, and Europe's governing body yesterday confirmed that they will enter the draw for next season's competition.

Elsewhere, Boca Juniors are to battle with an unnamed English club for striker Mauro Zarate. The 21-year-old impressed while on loan at Birmingham City, scoring four times in their battle against relegation.

City's demotion ruled them out of bidding for a player valued at £20m by his current employers, Qatar's Al-Sadd. Boca have stepped in for Zarate with the coach Carlos Ischia seeing him as an ideal replacement for the Lazio-bound Rodrigo Palacio.

Sergio Zarate, Mauro's brother and agent, told the Clarin newspaper: "I have not received a call from any Boca officials yet. We have a possible offer from an English club and we want to sort things out this week."