Cantona: Organisers are hoping to lure former Manchester United striker Eric Cantona to Singapore next month to showcase an international beach soccer tournament. The Frenchman, who these days splits his time between sporting pursuits and acting in movies, is top of the list for organisers of a five-a-side tournament featuring Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Local media said former Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola was also in the frame.
Beckham: David Beckham is suffering from a knee complaint and has been left out of Fabio Capello's Real Madrid squad to face Racing Santander today. The former England captain has an inflamed meniscus in his left knee and has not trained all week, the club said yesterday. Brazilian striker Ronaldo is still recovering from a twisted ligament in his left knee, while Italian striker Antonio Cassano was left out for tactical reasons.
Ljungberg: Arsenal's Sweden midfielder Freddie Ljungberg has joined Brazilian Gilberto as an absentee for today's Premier League game with Newcastle United. Ljungberg had been expected to end a six-week injury absence due to a calf problem when Arsene Wenger's side take on Newcastle, three days before their Champions League clash with Hamburg SV. Gilberto has returned to Brazil for family reasons and will fly back tomorrow.
In Mexico: Mexican club Toluca played two competitive matches in different continents yesterday due to a clash of fixtures and lost them both. The Red Devils were involved in a Copa Sudamericana tie away to Chile's Colo Colo in Santiago and also had to play the first leg of a Mexican championship playoff tie at Chiapas in southern Mexico. The club decided to send a reserve side to Chiapas where they lost 1-0. The first team were dispatched to Chile where they lost 2-1 to Colo Colo in their semi-final first leg.
Fined: Levski Sofia have been fined 50,000 Swiss francs ($39,970) by UEFA because of crowd trouble during their Champions League match against Chelsea on September 27, the Bulgarian club said yesterday. UEFA's Disciplinary commission imposed the penalty after torches and fireworks were thrown while a Levski supporter encroached on the pitch during halftime in the match which Chelsea won 3-1.
Wolfsburg: VfL Wolfsburg have signed American striker Kamani Hill on a 2-1/2 year contract, the Bundesliga club said yesterday. Hill, 20, last played for US university UCLA in Los Angeles. He has also played on U.S. junior teams. Hill impressed Wolfsburg coach Klaus Augenthaler at a trial and passed medical tests, the club said.
MFA Division Three: Ta' Xbiex vs Kalkara 0-7; Qrendi vs Mdina 2-1.
Basketball: Peugeot League - Luxol vs Sliema Wanderers 81-22. Division Two (men) - Malta U-19 vs Mosta 67-65.
In England: The Championship - Cardiff vs QPR 0-1. League One - Chester vs Stockport 1-1.