Saviola and Rodriguez return for Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 8 (Reuters) Argentina forward Javier Saviola and midfielder Maximiliano Rodriguez, who both missed the Copa America, were named in the squad for this month's friendly in Norway.

Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme and defender Gabriel Heinze, whose futures remain uncertain, were left out as was Carlos Tevez, who is set to join English Premier League champions Manchester United after a prolonged transfer saga.

Saviola, who recently joined Real Madrid, missed the Copa America after an unhappy season with Barcelona, where he struggled to get into the team.

Rodriguez also missed the Copa America in Venezuela as he had just returned from a six-month injury layoff.

The match in Oslo will be Argentina's first since their traumatic 3-0 defeat by arch-rivals Brazil in the Copa America final on July 15.

Argentina went into the game as hot favourites after winning all five matches in the tournament and playing superb, attacking football along the way.

But they slumped to their third successive three-goal loss to their bitter rivals, extending a 14-year title drought.

Captain Roberto Ayala, who won a record 115 caps, announced his international retirement after the final.

Riquelme, who scored five goals at the Copa but slumped in the final, does not feature in the plans of Spanish club Villarreal, who own him.

Boca Juniors, where he played on loan in the first half of this year, are still hoping for a new deal.

Defender Fabriccio Coloccini was another player to earn a recall while coach Alfio Basile also included uncapped defender Ezequiel Garay and goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

Squad: Goalkeepers: Juan Pablo Carrizo (Lazio), Oscar Ustari (Getafe), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands) Defenders: Gabriel Milito (Barcelona), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo Coruna), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Daniel Diaz (Getafe), Ezequiel Garay (Racing Santander) Midfielders: Luis Gonzalez (Porto), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Cristian Ledesma (Olympiakos), Federico Insua (America-Mexico) Forwards: Diego Milito (Real Zaragoza), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Javier Saviola (Real Madrid) Reuters SSC DB1035