Sporting briefs

Celtic Debut: Chinese defender Du Wei is close to making his first team debut for Celtic, manager Gordon Strachan said yesterday. The 23-year-old international signed from Shanghai Shenua last month and has made several appearances for Celtic's reserves. Strachan said he is getting better every day. "He is actually fading into the background as such and not looking like a foreigner any more, or a big Chinese guy, he is more like a Celtic player all the time and part of the squad so that's a good sign." Strachan described the player as a "radiator" who lights up training sessions. "Du Wei is a joy. He's always got a smile on his face," he said.

Nose Job: Schalke 04 captain Ebbe Sand has had surgery after breaking his nose for the third time in six years. The Denmark forward suffered the injury in Schalke's Champions League game away to Fenerbahce on Wednesday and had an operation back in Germany the following day. He will miss today's Bundesliga game against VfL Wolfsburg but could be back in training in a mask as early as next week, the club said.

Critical Cuper: Real Mallorca coach Hector Cuper has criticised his players harshly after the Primera Liga side were humbled 4-1 by third division Alcoyano in the King's Cup on Thursday. "We were humiliated. It was an absolute disaster," Cuper said. "There was lack of concentration on our behalf and the players showed no desire." Mallorca were one of five top-flight sides to go out in the third round along with Alaves, Racing Santander, Real Sociedad and Malaga.

Gonzalez - A KOP: Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says the European champions have agreed a deal to bring Chile winger Mark Gonzalez to Anfield. Liverpool were refused a work permit for Gonzalez, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered in May, when they tried to sign him on loan from Albacete in August. Now Liverpool have agreed a permanent deal with the Spanish club, pending a work permit or Gonzalez's moves to obtain a Spanish passport. Benitez said the 21-year-old, who was born in South Africa, would be fit to play "maybe in the next month."

Pires: Arsenal's Robert Pires has not given up hope of making the France squad for next year's World Cup finals in Germany even though he last played for his country a year ago. "I am available and I hope I will be judged on my game, that's all I'm asking," said Pires, who has not been picked by Raymond Domenech since criticising the France coach's strategy after a 2-0 victory over Cyprus in a World Cup qualifier in October 2004. The midfielder, who will turn 32 on October 29, has played 79 times for France, winning the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later.

Ticket re-sale: Fans will be able to offer unwanted World Cup tickets for re-sale via an official internet site due to go live in February. Most fans who applied for individual match tickets for the tournament, rather than the Team Specific Tickets, were effectively buying blind. Only after the draw in Leipzig on Dec. 9 will those lucky enough to have received tickets in the lottery find out which matches they are in line to see. The new internet site will give supporters the chance to sell them on if they cannot or do no not want to see a match, but the sales will be only be at face value, organisers said.

In England: The Championship - Leeds vs Sheffield United 1-1.

MFA Division Three: Kalkara vs Fgura 0-1; Ghaxaq vs Rabat 0-2.

Basketball: MBA Shield Division One men - Qormi vs Loyola 71-31. Peugeot women's league - Naxxar vs Depiro 37-72.