Henry struggling at Barca

Barcelona striker Thierry Henry has fended off criticism that he has not scored as many goals with his new club as he did when he was at Arsenal.

"I'm not used to playing on the wing after spending eight years at Arsenal as a striker. Now I play a different role," he was quoted as saying in the Spanish media.

"It's the coach who decides the system and I don't have a problem with it."

Celtic report lower profits

Celtic have reported comparatively reduced pre-tax profits of £10.07m for the six months to December 31, 2007. However, the club also more than halved its total net debt from £15.02m to £6.81m due to strong cash generation.

"Our retained profit for the period of £10.07m compares with £17.94m last year," said chairman John Reid.

Last season, Celtic was Scotland's only team to reach the group stage of Europe's top club competition, meaning it received the whole pot of revenue afforded to participating clubs.

Giovinco says Empoli will survive

Sebastian Giovinco thinks Empoli will beat the drop after shaking off a miserable run by beating Lazio 1-0 last week.

This weekend, Alberto Malesani's team, still languishing in the drop zone, will look to pile the pressure on Siena and Parma with three points against Napoli.

"My Empoli side will reach safety," the Juventus-owned Giovinco said.

"We have been playing excellently but not picking up the points. Luckily we got the win against Lazio and that has raised our morale again."

Benzema says Ronaldo is no.1

Olympique Lyon striker Karim Benzema, who grew up admiring Ronaldo, said he felt sorry for the Brazil and Milan striker over his serious knee injury.

"He would have deserved another end to his career," said the 20-year-old France striker, who has a collection of Ronaldo matches on DVD and studies his every move.

"To me he is the best player ever. Even if he stops playing football I'll keep watching the DVDs. Having a career like his is my dream."

Merkel backs Cottbus

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be the guest of honour at Energie Cottbus today, when the relegation-threatened club host Borussia Dortmund.

Merkel, who accepted a proposal to become an honorary member at Cottbus in November 2006, will be officially welcomed in a short on-pitch ceremony before the match, Cottbus said.

She will be especially satisfied if she sees them win today's game. Her predecessor as Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, is an honorary member of Borussia Dortmund.

McClaren looking for comeback

Steve McClaren is willing to take a job outside the country or in the Football League in order to get back into management.

"My next job will be about the person employing me as much as anything - he has to have vision and be ambitious," McClaren said.

"It might be abroad, in the second division or in the Championship. It's got to be a challenge. Before I went to Middlesbrough, Alex Ferguson told me 'pick the chairman, not the club' and I was lucky I picked Steve Gibson, who believed in my philosophy and gave me time.."

Inter close in on Diarra

Inter are a whisker away from securing the signature of Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra in summer. The Serie A champions have been tracking the Mali native for months, but sporting director Marco Branca is now in talks with Diarra's agent to thrash out details of a summer transfer.

Diarra is under contract with Real until 2011. Real paid Lyon around £15m for the defensive midfielder in the summer of 2006.

Rossi meets Lazio fans

Coach Delio Rossi met with Lazio fans this week to try and assuage recent tensions between the tifosi and the team. Lazio have looked a shadow of the side that finished in third place last season and fans have recently threatened to boycott the stadium.

After the meeting the fans promised their continued support on the condition that Rossi's side don't turn in a performance as weak as last weekend's 1-0 defeat against Empoli.

"It's useless criticising individuals," Rossi said. "I make my choices and you have to point the finger at me... this team always give 100 per cent."

Downing extends Boro contract

Stewart Downing has ended the uncertainty surrounding his future by signing a new five-year contract at Middlesbrough. The winger has been locked in talks with his boyhood club for the past 12 months regarding an extension to his deal.

He still had two years to run on his contract, but has now committed himself to Boro until the summer of 2013.

His decision will end weeks of doubt about his future on Teesside, with Tottenham Hotspur having been strongly linked with a bid.