Football news

UEFA is awaiting reports from officials before deciding whether to take action after Cristiano Ronaldo was targeted by a laser beam on Wednesday.

The incident in the warm-up before the Champions League tie at Lyon was reported by Manchester United but the winger had no ill effects in the game.

UEFA now wants to see reports from the referee and its own delegate.

"We need to have more information about it, then a decision will be taken," a UEFA spokesman told BBC Sport.

Giggs aims for coaching career

Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs may still be going strong on the football field but the 34-year-old is willing to extend his football career by coaching once he hangs up his boots.

The former Wales will start studying for his UEFA 'A' coaching licence in June, FAW technical director Osian Roberts said.

"Ryan has indicated he wants to come and do his UEFA 'A' licence with us in Aberystwyth in June," Roberts said.

Birmingham reject Yeung plans

Birmingham have confirmed that shareholders have rejected Carson Yeung's proposal to co-opt Steve McManaman and Fan Zhiyi onto the board of directors. The proposal was heard at an extraordinary general meeting of the club held at St Andrews on Wednesday afternoon.

Hong Kong businessman Yeung, who holds a 29.9 per cent stake in the club, wanted to elect former players McManaman and Fan to act as his UK representatives via his company Grandtop International Holdings.

But managing director Karren Brady recommended to shareholders they reject the bid by Yeung, who had angered chairman David Gold and co-owner David Sullivan by failing to complete his takeover of the club.

Gazza held under Mental Health Act

Former England midfield player Paul Gascoigne is being held under the Mental Health Act, a police source said yesterday.

The former Tottenham and Newcastle player, widely known as Gazza, was arrested at the Hilton hotel in Gateshead, on Wednesday evening.

Nobody was injured and there was no violence and no damage to the hotel.

"A 40-year-old man has been detained," a spokesman for Northumbria Police said. "We had received a report of concern for a 40-year-old man staying at the hotel. The man was detained under the Mental Health Act."

Inter, Juve interested in Rakitic

Inter and Juventus are keen on signing Schalke 04 starlet Ivan Rakitic. Italian newspaper Tuttosport said that the two Serie A clubs will fight for the signature of the 19-year-old Croatian international who has also attracted interest from Liverpool.

"There has been contact with somebody and of course it is interesting," Rakitic, who joined Schalke from FC Basel last summer, admitted.

"Inter are a big club you just can't say no to. The decision lies with Schalke but at the moment I am fully focused on doing well where I am."

Juan in fitness race to face Real

Roma defender Juan is hoping to return to fitness in time to play in the Giallorossi's crunch match against Real Madrid on March 5.

The Brazilian stopper limped off after 76 minutes of Roma's 2-1 win on Tuesday evening with a foot injury. It was feared that Juan would be out for a long time but it seems that the damage isn't major.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man will sit out training for the next week to allow the foot to heal naturally and will be absent for this weekend's big game against Fiorentina.

Alves will come good - Downing

Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing knows Afonso Alves will need time to settle on Teesside. The Riverside outfit's record signing is still some way from full fitness following his £12 million move from Heerenveen on the final day of the January transfer window.

"The lads up front are doing well, so he has got a task on his hands to get in the team, but I'm sure he will because he is a quality player," Downing said. "We will let him find his feet and he will hopefully bag a few goals for us."

Toni rejects Milan talk

Luca Toni has distanced himself from suggestions that he is ready to make a swift return to Serie A with Milan.

The striker has only been at Bundesliga side Bayern Munich since the start of the season, but reports in Italy have claimed that Milan are ready to make an approach to bring the prolific former Fiorentina star back home.

"I know nothing about it and I'm not interested in the stories," Toni said.

"I feel very much at home here and I am here to help Bayern win trophies."

Toure injury not serious

The calf injury Arsenal's Kolo Toure picked up in Wednesday's goalless draw with Milan in the Champions League may not sideline the defender for as long as first feared.

"The news is maybe a bit better," manager Arsene Wenger told the north London club's website ( www.arsenal.com ).

"For me on Wednesday night it looked like he would be out for two to four weeks. The way he was walking perhaps four. But today the medical staff said to me it would be closer to two than four."