Sporting briefs...

Free season tickets: Charlton Athletic, who are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, are offering fans a free season ticket if they support the club through thick and thin. If they buy a season ticket before April 30 for 2007-08 and the club are relegated in May to the second division, ticket holders will get a free season pass for 2008-09 if Charlton are promoted back to the top flight at their first attempt.

Lille injuries: Lille midfielders Mathieu Bodmer and Laurent Cabaye have been ruled out of tomorrow's Champions League first-round second-leg tie at Manchester United. Claude Puel, coach of the French club, said yesterday that playmaker Bodmer was still suffering from an ankle injury and Laurent Cabaye had not recovered from a stomach muscle tear.

Leonardo: Ajax Amsterdam's Brazilian winger Leonardo will be out for six to nine months after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury, the Dutch club said. Leonardo, who joined Ajax in January from NAC Breda, sustained the injury in the home defeat by Heerenveen on Sunday. The 23-year-old suffered a similar injury four years ago.

Sinama-Pongolle: Recreativo Huelva's French striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle will miss his side's next two league matches after suffering a thigh muscle tear after scoring the winner in Sunday's 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid. The win pushed Recreativo, who were promoted from the second division at the start of the season, up into seventh place in the Primera Liga.

Uphill struggle: Athletic Bilbao coach Jose Manuel "Mane" Esnal has admitted that his side are facing an uphill struggle if they are to avoid dropping out of the top flight for the first time in their history. "The outlook is bleak," Mane said after his side's 2-0 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Gimnastic. "There are still a lot of points to play for but we have to react immediately. We are going to have to suffer."

Valencia vendetta: Valencia are aiming to settle a score with Inter in the Champions League after falling victim to the Italians in recent European clashes. Valencia coach Quique Sanchez Flores agreed with the midfielder, saying the team had the chance to avenge their previous defeats after earning a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Milan. "Inter have destroyed our hopes on previous occasions and now is a good time to rewrite the story," Valencia coach Quique Sanchez Flores said. "We have the added motivation in that we know there is no way back after this game... someone will be going out."

MFA Division Three: Xghajra Tornadoes vs Attard 0-3; Kirkop vs Gharghur 1-1.

In England: The Championship - Preston vs Southampton 3-1.

In Italy: Serie B - Mantova vs Triestina 1-1.

In Scotland: Premier League: Motherwell vs Hearts 0-2.