Sporting briefs...

Adebayor: Emmanuel Adebayor is available for Arsenal after recovering from a thigh injury but might struggle to find a spot alongside Thierry Henry for today's trip to Blackburn Rovers. After Julio Baptista hit four in the midweek 6-3 League Cup win over Liverpool and with Robin van Persie scoring five in his last six games, manager Arsene Wenger faces a comforting selection problem. William Gallas will not play, however, after the centre back suffered a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury.

Garcia: Real Zaragoza striker Sergio Garcia, who scored twice in a 3-0 King's Cup win against Malaga on Wednesday, is relishing the trip to face Real Madrid in the Bernabeu tomorrow. "They are aren't doing well and we go into the game after consecutive wins. I hope we can give them a shock early on," Garcia told sports daily Marca. Zaragoza are two points behind third-placed Real in fourth.

Villarreal: Villarreal will be without forward Jose Mari for Sunday's trip to face Athletic Bilbao after picking up a knee injury in Wednesday's 2-1 King's Cup defeat at Valladolid. Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has been left out of the side's last two games for technical reasons and missed training on Thursday with a groin strain.

Emre: Newcastle United's Turkish midfielder Emre Belozoglu has been charged with using "racially-aggravated abusive and/or insulting words", the Football Association said yesterday. The charge relates to an incident in Newcastle's 3-0 Premier League defeat at Everton on Dec. 30. Several Everton players were reportedly the target of the alleged abuse during a player melee after a penalty award for Newcastle. Emre has until Jan. 29 to reply to the charge, the FA said.

Basketball: Gatorade League - Floriana vs BUPA Luxol 52-109. Louis Borg Cup preliminary round (women) - Luxol vs SN Suns 86-17.

MFA Division Three: Gzira vs Zurrieq 1-2; Sirens vs Attard 2-0.

In England: The Championship - West Brom vs Luton 3-2.