Sporting briefs...

New Bosnia coach: Fuad Muzurovic has been re-appointed coach of Bosnia in place of the sacked Blaz Sliskovic, the national football association (NFSBIH) said. It will be Muzurovic's second spell in charge after his 1995-97 stint as the first Bosnia coach after the country gained independence from former Yugoslavia. The NFSBIH's executive board chose Muzurovic ahead of former Yugoslavia and Bosnia international Mehmed Bazdarevic and Serb Dragoslav Stepanovic. Sliskovic was sacked after the team made a poor start to the Euro 2008 Group C qualifiers.

Real Betis: Struggling Primera Liga side Real Betis are set to appoint former French international Luis Fernandez to replace Javier Irureta as coach, Spanish media reported. The well-travelled 47-year-old has coached at Paris St Germain, Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao among others. Irureta, who replaced Llorenc Serra Ferrer in June, quit on Thursday after winning just three of their 15 league matches, although they are still in the King's Cup which they won in 2005.

Alves: Sevilla's Brazilian defender Dani Alves has agreed a one-year contract extension that ties him to the club until 2012, the Primera Liga leaders said. The player's buy-out clause remained unchanged at €60 million. The 23-year-old, who has been linked with moves to Barcelona and Liverpool, was part of the Brazil side that won the World Youth Cup in 2003. He joined Sevilla from Bahia in 2002 and has been one of the club's outstanding performers in winning the UEFA Cup last season, and in their rise to the top of the table this month.

La Volpe: Ricardo La Volpe has been named as the new coach of Velez Sarsfield, just over a week after quitting Boca Juniors following their spectacular failure to win the Argentine championship. The former Mexico coach completed a straight swap with Miguel Angel Russo, who last week left Velez to take charge at Boca.

Montella: Luciano Spalletti revealed that Vincenzo Montella has asked to leave Roma in the January transfer window. "I have seven or eight players in my squad who are angry because they don't get to play regularly," he said. "Montella is among them, he has been penalised by my way of dealing with the team, but I do it for the good of Roma." Montella has made just 17 appearances for Roma this season, scoring six goals.

In France: Ligue 1 - Troyes vs Paris SG 1-1; Sochaux vs Nancy 2-1; Lyon vs Monaco 0-0; Lorient vs Stade Rennes 0-0; Bordeaux vs Le Mans 1-0; Lille vs Auxerre 1-1; Nice vs Racing Lens 1-2; Toulouse vs Nantes 0-4; Valenciennes vs Sedan 2-1. Leading standings - Lyon 50; Lens 35; Sochaux 33; St Etienne, Lille 31; Marseille 30; Nancy, Bordeaux 29; Rennes 25.