Football news

The most famous fan of a Chinese football club has decided to become a monk after the squad withdrew from the country’s professional league last month in protest at the suspension of its top player.

Wuhan Guanggu, a club based in the Yangtze river city of Wuhan, said it would sue the Chinese Super League after it suspended former China captain Li Weifeng for eight matches.

The contentious decision prompted Wuhan resident Mei Nansheng to pack his bags for the Shaolin Temple, the famed Buddhist shrine and birth-place of kung fu.

"My two sons have both died now," Mei said, referring to Wuhan Guanggu and the Chinese national team. "So you could imagine how it grieves me."

Capello denies opposing friendly

England manager Fabio Capello has said he would have no problem playing a friendly against Spain at the Bernabeu, despite the England FA’s qualms over the racist abuse directed at the side four years ago.

The English FA’s director of communications, Adrian Bevington, on Monday said a fixture against the European champions had been requested by Capello but they would refuse to play the game at Real Madrid’s stadium.

"It is a mistake by the FA’s director of communications," Capello said.

"Why wouldn’t I want to play at the Bernabeu? I have a house in Marbella and I love Madrid."

Mexes ban

Misfiring Serie A side Roma will have French international Philippe Mexes missing for the next three league matches after being slapped with a hefty ban yesterday.

Mexes was sent off in Roma’s 1-0 defeat at Siena for two bookable offences. Sporting judge Gianpaolo Tosel decided that Mexes should miss three matches for "unsporting behaviour" towards an opponent.

With Roma facing Inter in their next match on Sunday, coach Luciano Spalletti has been left with a defensive crisis as veteran Christian Panucci is also out to serve suspension.

Beckhams’ staff "held over theft"

Two housekeepers working at the English mansion belonging to David Beckham and his wife Victoria have been arrested on suspicion of stealing memorabilia belonging to the football star.

Newspapers said possessions belonging to the LA Galaxy player and his "Posh Spice" wife were allegedly taken from their home, dubbed "Beckingham Palace", in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, about 30 miles to the northeast of London.

Personal items including football boots, sportswear and designer clothes were then put up for sale on Internet auction site eBay, the reports said.

The Beckhams currently live in a $22 million Beverly Hills mansion but maintain the Hertfordshire mansion as a base.

Platini pleased with extra refs

UEFA president Michel Platini was impressed with the first official trials deploying additional linesmen, his special adviser William Gaillard said.

Platini attended a Euro U-19 championship qualifying tournament in Slovenia at the weekend to see the first competitive test involving two extra referees monitoring the penalty areas.

"He saw it all in action over the weekend and after talking to the referees, players and coaches he really feels it is a good way to solve the problems that everybody is talking about," Gaillard said.

UEFA is expected to carry out two further trials at U-19 level, in Hungary later this month and in Cyprus at the end of November.

Atletico handed two-match ban

UEFA have ordered Spanish league club Atletico Madrid to play their next two Champions League home matches at least 300 kilometres outside of Madrid following crowd trouble earlier this month against Marseille.

UEFA said the punishment could be extended to a third home match should there be further trouble at the club within five years. The matches concerned are against Liverpool on Oct. 22 and PSV Eindhoven on Nov. 26.

In addition, UEFA said Atletico coach Javier Aguirre would be banned from coaching the side for their next two. It said this was a punishment for "improper conduct".

Vieri comeback

Christian Vieri is very close to making a comeback to league action for Atalanta and the club said he should be ready to face former side Milan later on this month.

Vieri, 35, is yet to make his debut in his latest spell with Atalanta due to an injury he sustained in a pre-season friendly and he has it all to prove to the fans who met his arrival with jeers.

"Christian is coming out the other side of the injury tunnel," sporting director Carlo Osti said.

"Hopefully he should be fit for the game against Milan on Oct. 26."