In brief

Maniche: Chelsea signing Maniche, who suffered a miserable three months with Dynamo Moscow, hopes to remain at the London club after his six-month loan. The 28-year-old Portugal midfielder said on Friday his Russian move had been a mistake and he needed now to impress the English champions. "It was an experience to forget. I was not happy. I stayed for three months but now I have the chance to show my value again," Maniche said.

Beckenbauer: Germany's Franz Beckenbauer is ready to give up lucrative advertising contracts if he goes ahead with a bid to succeed Lennart Johansson as president of UEFA. The hugely respected 60-year-old currently appears in TV adverts scoring goals for a bank, sipping Bavarian beer and plugging a mobile phone operator. But that will all end if Johansson decides to step down in 2007. "As president of UEFA one must be independent," he said. "That would be the end of my career in advertising."

France: France will host China in an international friendly just two days before the 2006 World Cup kicks off in Germany. France had already arranged friendlies against Mexico in Paris on May 27 and Denmark in Lens four days later with China now providing the opposition for their final warm-up match on June 7.

French Cup: Ligue 1 strugglers Toulouse were knocked out in the first round of the French Cup yesterday by Lyon - not the champions Olympique but an amateur side. Toulouse lost 2-1 at Lyon-La-Duchere, a team playing three divisions below the top flight. Rennes narrowly escaped a similar fate, needing two late goals from Moussa Sow to win 3-2 at fifth division Corsican side Corte.

Spanish Liga: A. Bilbao vs D. La Coruna 1-2.