Sporting briefs...

Blatter-Platini meeting: FIFA president Sepp Blatter has held his first official meeting with Michel Platini since the Frenchman's election to the UEFA presidency last month. Yesterday's meeting concentrated on perceived problems concerning players' agents, insurance for clubs and the players they release for international duty and the international match calendar. In particular, Blatter and Platini were said to have discussed an upcoming schedule clash in December 2007 when FIFA's Club World Cup is set to coincide with the final group stage matches in the UEFA Champions League.

Lehmann: None of the 18 clubs in the Bundesliga say they want to sign Germany international goalkeeper Jens Lehmann when his contract with Arsenal expires at the end of this season, a survey by Germany's Bild newspaper showed yesterday. Lehmann, 37, has been offered a one-year extension to his contract and has said he could return to Germany or move to Spain.

Valente: Portuguese international fullback Nuno Valente will stay at Everton for a further season after the English club took up the option to extend his two-year contract. The 32-year-old has had an injury-ravaged spell at Goodison Park after arriving from Porto in August 2005.

Van Der Vaart: Hamburg captain Rafael van der Vaart said he would stick with the club if they are relegated to the second division next season. He is contracted to 2010. "I don't have an escape clause in my contract that would let me go without a transfer fee," he said. "My contract would be valid for the second division too. I'm definitely going to stay at HSV."

Canizares: Valencia's Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, 37, has put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Mestalla until 2009.

Real elections: Real Madrid presidential candidate Juan Miguel Villar Mir has decided not to appeal a judge's ruling that the postal votes in last July's election were null and void. Spanish media reported a large number of the 10,511 votes that were excluded had been for Villar Mir, who lagged winner Ramon Calderon by 1,642 in the poll.

In Gozo: OnVol Division One - Nadur Youngsters vs Ghajnsielem 0-0. Divison Two - Gharb Rangers vs Zebbug Rovers 0-2.

Snooker - Welsh Open: Third round results - Harold vs Hamilton 3-5; Davis vs Dott 5-3; Murphy vs Burnett 5-4; O'Sullivan vs Selby 5-1; Robertson vs Hendry 5-3; Higginson vs Judge 5-1; Maguire vs Doherty 5-3; Carter vs Bond 5-4.