Football news

Referee Marcelo de Lima was robbed at gunpoint as he drove to the Maracana stadium to take charge of the Flamengo-Madureira match this week.

Lima, who was with his wife and three children, said he was leaving the housing estate where he lives in the Itaborai district near Rio de Janeiro when his car was ambushed by two armed youths.

"They took everything: mobile phone, wallet and the car itself," Lima told Radio Globo. "But I asked them not to take my kit for the game."

No rift says Shevchenko

Andriy Shevchenko yesterday rubbished reports on a German website in which it was claimed he launched an attack on manager Jose Mourinho.

German TV website sport.ARD.de reported Shevchenko as saying he became Mourinho's "dartboard" because of a rift with owner Roman Abramovich. But Shevchenko, 30, said: "This is complete rubbish.

"I have never spoken to this German website or to the journalist who claims to have interviewed me."

The £30m summer capture from AC Milan has struggled to hit his best form amid claims that he was a purchase inspired by Abramovich rather than Mourinho.

Anfield takeover completed

George Gillett and Tom Hicks, the two US tycoons, yesterday secured unconditional control of Liverpool. Shareholders had been given until Monday to respond to the offer of £5,000 per share and the pair comfortably reached the 75 per cent required.

A statement to the Stock Exchange said the duo "received valid acceptances in respect of approximately 80.7 per cent of Liverpool's issued share capital".

Work on the club's new 60,000-seater stadium is set to start imminently.

More Italian stadiums re-open

The stadiums at Empoli, Bologna and Lecce will re-open to fans this weekend. The grounds were closed after regulations were tightened following the Catania riots last month, but the work needed to bring the facilities up to standard have been completed.

The Piacenza and Salerno venues have also been given the green light to host supporters, although they will only be able to seat season ticket holders for the time being.

The government also confirmed that there will not be more than one evening match per day and that the late fixture will be chosen among the ones which are not considered a risk.

Furthermore, starting from March 30, only authorised banners, flags, drums and megaphones will be allowed inside the stadiums.

Terry set for cup comeback

John Terry is set for a Chelsea return in tomorrow's FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham. The Blues captain was knocked unconscious by an accidental kick in the head from Abou Diaby during the League Cup final on February 25 and has not featured since.

That has forced Jose Mourinho to once again rely on Michael Essien as a makeshift centre-half alongside Ricardo Carvalho.

"I've seen a specialist and passed all tests and he's given me the go-ahead to join training," Terry said.

"I'm aiming towards Sunday... it's good to be involved again."

Nose surgery for Crouch

Peter Crouch will have nose surgery which will put him out of England's next two matches. The striker was considering waiting until the end of the season for the operation, caused by an accidental kick in the head from Sheffield United's Rob Hulse on February 24.

Crouch not only wanted to be available for Liverpool's matches but also the England squad who play Israel and Andorra in Euro 2008 qualifiers on March 24 and 28 respectively.

But now Crouch will be looking at Liverpool's trip to Reading on April 7, with him missing only two club matches against Aston Villa and Arsenal besides the Champions League quarter-final.

Chelsea vs Beckham's LA Galaxy

Chelsea will take on David Beckham's next club, Los Angeles Galaxy, in a pre-season tour of the United States in July.

The game on July 21 will be the showcase of a four-team tournament, the World Series of Football, and could see the former England captain playing in a Galaxy shirt for the first time after his move from Real Madrid.

Chelsea will be making their fourth consecutive pre-season tour in the United States for the four-match series.

Roberto Carlos to leave Real

Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos has said he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season after 11 years at the club.

"I'm not going to renew my contract. I think the moment has come for me to put an end to my time at the club and leave them to start a new project," the 33-year-old said.

The former Brazil international joined Real from Inter in 1996 during Fabio Capello's first spell as coach at the club.

United want Ronaldo to stay

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson hopes talks over a new contract with winger Cristiano Ronaldo will end successfully with the Portuguese international signing a new deal to stay at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo's contract runs until 2010 but discussions over a new, improved deal are underway.

Ferguson said: "We have been negotiating for a few weeks now. That's what negotiating is. It means eventually there is to be a compromise somewhere along the line. You go to and fro a little bit and then eventually you come to an agreement."