Football news

Milan president Silvio Berlusconi is in no rush to see Ronaldo return from the hamstring injury that has kept the Brazilian striker out of action so far this season.

"I have spoken to him and to (Milan coach Carlo) Ancelotti asking them to be very calm and prudent," Berlusconi told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The aim is to have him in peak condition in Tokyo (at the FIFA Club World Cup in December)."

Forlan better than Torres - Luccin

Former Atletico Madrid midfielder Peter Luccin believes that new striker Diego Forlan makes a better partner for the club's Argentine forward Sergio Aguero than Fernando Torres.

"The arrival of Forlan has brought about a change in the team," the Real Zaragoza player told sports daily Marca yesterday.

"Fernando was stronger and more powerful but Forlan is a little more skilful. Aguero and Torres were both lead strikers and you could say that they got in the way of each other. I think Forlan is better for Aguero."

Toure, Eto'o urged to skip Cup

Barcelona have asked Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure not to represent their countries at the African Nations Cup in Ghana in January.

"I don't know if they'll go and I hope they don't but we can't force them," Barca sports director Txiki Begiristain said.

"For Eto'o it would be a strange year. Injury, recovery and then international duty. I asked Toure before we signed him.

"Ronaldinho did not go to the Copa America (in June) and it was a brave decision. But I understand how important they are for their countries."

The African Nations Cup runs from January 20 to February 10.

Ticket limitations for Roma-Napoli

Officials in the Italian capital have decided to restrict Saturday's Serie A game between Roma and Napoli to season-ticket holders because of the risk of clashes between rival fans.

Rome Prefect Carlo Mosca announced the decision yesterday following a meeting with local security chiefs. Napoli fans were banned from travelling to see their side play champions Inter at the San Siro 12 days ago, a match which was also considered high-risk.

But around 1,000 of them managed to buy tickets and make a mockery of the measure, prompting authorities to be even stricter this time.

Italy is seeking to clamp down on soccer violence after the death of a police officer during rioting at a top-flight game in Catania in February.

Bolton manager Lee steps down

Bolton Wanderers have parted company with manager Sammy Lee after less than six months by mutual consent, the Premier League club said .

"This has been a difficult decision for all parties but we have agreed that time is right," Bolton's chairman Phil Gartside said.

"Sammy has played an important role in the club's recent history. We wish Sammy well for the future," Gartside said.

"Our efforts will now be to look for a replacement manager and to concentrate on the future. The club will be making no further comment at this moment in time."

Courbis handed jail sentence

Former Olympique Marseille coach Rolland Courbis was sentenced to two years in prison yesterday by a French appeals court which upheld his conviction in a player transfer fraud scandal. He was also fined 200,000 euros.

Robert Louis-Dreyfus, who holds a majority stake in the club, was handed a ten-month suspended prison sentence and a 200,000 euro fine, the court ruled.

Prosecutors had said some 22 million euros were illegally diverted from club funds as part of the transfer of 15 players between 1997 and 1999, including World Cup winners Laurent Blanc and Christophe Dugarry.

Eriksson challenges Bianchi

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has welcomed Rolando Bianchi's return to training and claimed he understands why the Italian striker is frustrated by his lack of first-team opportunities.

Earlier this week, Bianchi suggested he would be seeking pastures new in January after finding himself overlooked for the majority of the campaign so far.

"I can imagine that he is frustrated," Eriksson said. "It is normal, he was one of the top goalscorers in Italy last season.

"But he is a hard worker and Monday was his first day back after injury for a while. Now he is fit, he has to work hard to convince me that he is my number one. That is football."

Figo keen on move to US

Inter midfielder Luis Figo hasn't ruled out the possibility of a move to the United States at the end of the season.

As the 34-year-old prepares to end his spell with Inter, he has revealed that he is tempted by a move to the US.

"I haven't ruled out a move to America, quite the opposite," he told magazine O Jogo. "If I am to continue playing, I want to do something positive for my family. Moving to the US would give my daughter the chance to learn English.

"If there are interesting offers from the MLS I will consider them."

Owen buy-out clause removed

Newcastle United chairman Chris Mort has revealed Michael Owen no longer has a buy-out clause in his contract.

Owen joined Newcastle from Real Madrid for £17million in August 2005 but his career on Tyneside has been blighted by injury so far.

"There was a clause in Michael's contract which allowed him to leave for a certain fee during the last transfer window and the summer before that as well, but that sort of clause does not exist any longer," he said.