Roberto Carlos taken off Anzhi's player list

MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Brazilian fullback Roberto Carlos will not play for his club Anzhi Makhachkala this season after being taken off the squad list, the wealthy Russian Premier League side said on Friday.

"That is true, his name has been withdrawn from the players' list," Anzhi vice-president German Chistyakov told local media.

Roberto Carlos, who turns 39 in April, earlier said that he was planning to retire at the end of the year.

The 2002 World Cup winner with Brazil did not play for Anzhi in last week's 1-0 win over Dynamo Moscow - their first league game following a three-month winter break.

Anzhi coach Guus Hiddink said then that he might still use the experienced defender from time to time.

Roberto Carlos served as Anzhi's joint caretaker coach at the second half of last year after their long-serving boss Gadzhi Gadzhiyev was sacked.

Anzhi's billionaire owner Suleiman Kerimov has said he wants to make the Brazilian a director for the rich club from the volatile North Caucasus region.

Seventh-placed Anzhi, who trail fifth-placed Lokomotiv Moscow by a point, host Spartak Moscow, in fourth spot, on Monday.