Football news

England captain John Terry has been ruled out of the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Belarus in Minsk tomorrow night because of the back injury which kept him out of last Saturday's match against Kazakhstan.

A Football Association spokes-man said Terry had been unable to take part in training yesterday.

The spokesman said defender Ashley Cole, who was booed by the Wembley crowd when a defensive lapse allowed Kazakhstan to score their only goal in England's 5-1 victory, will also miss the Group Six match because of a hamstring strain.

Rio Ferdinand captained England in Terry's absence on Saturday, heading the opening goal.

Toure in favour of Juve move

Yaya Toure has told his club Barcelona that he wants to move and Juventus could be his most likely destination in January.

Juventus are looking to bolster their midfield and reports in Italy said that the Bianconeri want to sign the towering Ivory Coast international who has made his intentions clear after slipping down the Nou Camp pecking order.

"I want to go to Juve," Toure said.

"It is a huge opportunity for me, even if I would miss the Champions League. It's a chance I can't afford to let slip. In a few weeks' time I will know what is going on with me and Barca."

Juventus have reportedly already spoken to Toure's agent and proposed a deal worth £3m per season.

Swiss Henchoz calls it quits

Stephane Henchoz, the former Liverpool and Blackburn defender, said he has decided to hang up his boots and retire from the game with immediate effect.

The 34-year-old has been without a club since his contract with Blackburn expired. He told Swiss reporters he now intends to study for his coaching badge.

Henchoz, who began his career in 1992 with Neuchatel Xamax, played 72 times for Switzerland and enjoyed a successful period with Liverpool, who he joined from Blackburn in 1999.

He won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup in 2001, going on to make 205 appearances for the Reds.

Spells with Celtic and Wigan followed before a return to Blackburn.

Cannavaro to stay at Real

Fabio Cannavaro is expected to prolong his stay with Real Madrid in the Spanish league despite reports linking him with a return to Napoli, his home club.

Cannavaro's contract runs out in June but many thought that the Italy captain could be set for a return to Napoli where he spent the first three years of his career.

"I am very calm and expect to talk to the club to resolve everything before the end of the year," he said.

"Everyone knows that I want to extend my contract. I don't want to go away, here I feel really well and my family is happy in Madrid."

Rooney eyeing more goals

England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said he wants to start scoring goals more consistently after hitting the net twice in the 5-1 victory over Kazakhstan on Saturday.

Rooney, 22, has been in fine form for United in recent weeks even though, he admitted, that throughout his career he has had difficult spells.

Rooney, who scored 17 times in 47 appearances for his country, is hungry for goals and hopes to torment Belarus tomorrow.

"It's always been the case that my goals come all at once, then a little break and then they come again," Rooney said.

"I would like to do it a bit more consistently and keep scoring all the time."

Kuzmanovic dreams of Milan

Fiorentina winger Zdravko Kuzmanovic, 21, was reported as saying that he would love to play for Milan, a statement that did not go down well with the fans in Florence.

Kuzmanovic, who has dual Serb and Swiss citizenship, said: "I am thoroughly happy to be playing in the Serie A and to be doing it with Fiorentina.

"In the future I would love to play for Milan and wear the Rossoneri jersey alongside my idol, Andrea Pirlo."

Fiorentina supporters had taken Kuzmanovic to their heart ever since he joined the Viola in February. He has a contract tying him to the club until 2011.

England refuse to play in Madrid

England have refused to play a friendly against Spain in Madrid next February after racist chants at the Bernabeu stadium on their last visit four years ago.

The Spanish federation were fined after Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Jenas were racially abused in the Real Madrid stadium.

FA director of communications Adrian Bevington said the fixture had been requested by head coach Fabio Capello.

"But as yet, a venue is still to be confirmed and the contract still to be signed," he said.

"However, from the outset, we were clear we would not play the fixture in Madrid due to the incidents of racial abuse we faced last time."