Pellegrini: Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini will miss Sunday's Primera Liga match at home to Deportivo La Coruna due to personal problems that require him to return to his native Chile, the club said. Pellegrini will fly directly to England to take charge of the team for their Champions League Group E opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
In Italy: Cells could be put into Serie A stadiums to lock away trouble-making fans, the president of the Italian soccer league Antonio Matarrese said. "If necessary we'll build cells in stadiums in order to put those who offend into them immediately," Matarrese told reporters at the margins of a new media campaign against football-related violence.
Appiah: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he is not planning to sign Ghanaian midfielder Stephen Appiah. Wenger has been linked with a move for Appiah, who is available on a free transfer after leaving Fenerbahce. When asked if he held an interest in the 27-year-old, Wenger replied: "No, we are not on the case."
Laudrup: Former Denmark international Michael Laudrup could be appointed Spartak Moscow coach this week after flying to Moscow for talks with the Russian club, Spartak Moscow's main owner said. "There are a few technical questions remaining that we need to resolve with him (Laudrup)," Fedun said. "I hope with a new, ambitious coach, even if we can't match the money of competitors who are sponsored by state companies, we can at least compete on the same scale."
Robinho: British transfer record signing Robinho will make his debut for Manchester City against fellow big spenders Chelsea in their Premier League match tomorrow, manager Mark Hughes said. "The one impression that I think everybody has of Robinho when you see him play is that as soon as he gets the ball you sense something is going to happen and I think everyone will see that at the weekend," manager Mark Hughes said.
Division II/III KO: Għargħur vs Sta Venera 1-3; Balzan vs Xgħajra Tornadoes 2-0.
Equestrian: Equestrian rider Mark Todd, of New Zealand, is considering competing at the 2012 Olympics after making a comeback in Beijing. Todd, 52, ended eight years in the sporting wilderness when he competed at his sixth Olympic Games this year, finishing 18th in the individual competition and fifth in the team event. Todd won gold medals in the three-day individual event at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.
Athletics: Russia's gold-medal winning pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and 110m hurdles world record holder Dayron Robles, of Cuba, will compete at a meet in South Korea later this month. Organisers of the meet in Daegu, which will host the World Athletics Championships in 2011, also announced American sprinters Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams would be taking part in the Sept. 25 meet.
Rallying: Northern New South Wales will host the Australian leg of the World Rally Championship from next year, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport said. The rally will be held in the Tweed and Kyogle shires from Sept. 3-6, 2009. The event will be held in the region every second year until at least 2017. New Zealand will host the rally every other year.