Football news

Iain Dowie is the new first team coach at QPR following last week's departure of Luigi de Canio. Dowie spent three years with the club as a player and had stints as caretaker boss and assistant manager. The 43-year-old, who was sacked as Coventry boss in February, has signed a two-year contract.

"I'm privileged to have been given the opportunity under the new ownership to return to the club where I served my managerial apprenticeship," said Dowie.

"This is a very exciting long-term project. QPR is a fantastic club, with a successful history and I'm going to relish the challenge that lies ahead."

Ronaldo says he is overweight

Brazilian striker Ronaldo said that he was eight kilos overweight but hoped to shed most of the excess within a month.

"I am 1.84 metres tall and today weigh 95 kilos," the Milan striker said during a Brazilian television programme aimed mainly at housewives.

"In the 2002 World Cup, I weighed 87 kilos and that is what I'm trying to get back to. That's the weight I need to reach if I'm going to get back to my best."

Ronaldo ruptured a tendon in his left knee during a Serie A game against Livorno in February and is expected to need at least another seven months to recover.

The injury was similar to two injuries to his right knee earlier in his career.

"I had to stay in bed for a month," he said. "I am starting to use an exercise bike, I'm swimming a lot and using up more calories than I'm taking in."

Costly job at Levante

Relegated Levante are to open an investigation into rude gestures made towards their own fans by forward Riga during the home match against city rivals Valencia last weekend, the Primera Liga club said.

"How are they going to fine me if they haven't paid me for two years? It's costing me money to play here and now they want to fine me," Riga told sports daily AS.

Levante's players have gone on strike over unpaid wages from as far back as last season, which threatens their final game against champions Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Rivaldo to stay with AEK Athens

Rivaldo has announced that he is to stay at Super League club AEK Athens next season, going back on an earlier decision to quit Greece.

AEK president Demis Nikolaidis persuaded the Brazilian former World Cup winner not to leave the country after his club failed to win the title, following the awarding of points to rivals Olympiakos Piraeus when an opponent fielded an ineligible player.

"Following a meeting I had with the president of the club, I have decided that I want to continue playing for AEK next season," said the 36-year-old in a statement.

"The truth is that when the league ended, I felt really disappointed and that an injustice had taken place," said Rivaldo.

Barca's Milito out for up to nine months

Argentina defender Gabriel Milito could be out for up to nine months after surgery to correct a damaged knee ligament revealed a complete tear, the club said.

The initial prognosis had been that Milito would be sidelined for six months, for an injury he picked up in the Champions League semi-final second leg defeat against Manchester United last month.

The 27-year-old tore the same ligament in 2001 and that injury was controversially cited as the reason for a failed move to Real Madrid in 2003, though Barca have said the injuries are not connected.

The Primera Liga's third-placed club signed Milito from Real Zaragoza for a fee of up to €20.5 million last July and he has been a key player in their defence this season.

Coventy set transfer targets

Ray Ranson, the Coventry City chairman, has revealed the club are hoping to sign several new players, including Wolves striker Freddy Eastwood.

He told reporters: "Would we be interested in signing Eastwood? Yes. We've got several bids on the table for players. I'm speaking to clubs and agents all the time."

Ranson also said that manager Chris Coleman could use his influence on the continent to bring in new players.

"We're not going to fill a team full of babies because that gets you nowhere," Ranson added. "We need a nice combination but we won't be signing 34-year-old has-beens on £25,000-a-week."

Cruz suspended for Coppa final

Inter striker Julio Cruz will miss the Italian Cup final against Roma on May 24 after being banned for three cup games for punching Lazio's Aleksandar Kolarov in last week's semi-final second leg.

The incident was missed by the referee but the Italian league said in a statement that the Argentine would be punished following video evidence.

Kolarov also got a one-match ban after picking up a yellow card while under-fire Inter defender Marco Materazzi already knew he would skip the showpiece after being sent off in the semi-final.