Football news

Atletico Madrid will have to play Wednesday's Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven behind closed doors after sport's court of arbitration (CAS) rejected an appeal against UEFA's punishment for crowd trouble.

UEFA sanctioned Atletico after crowd problems marred their Champions League home match with Marseille on Oct 1. There were also allegations of racist chanting by Atletico fans which the club denied.

UEFA originally ordered them to play their next two European fixtures at least 300km outside Madrid.

CAS said yesterday that a suspended sanction of a second match behind closed doors was overturned, and the €150,000 fine was reduced by half "in light of the fact that the racist acts alleged by UEFA could not be established with certainty".

Bulgaria's Markov says won't quit

Bulgaria coach Plamen Markov has shrugged off calls for his resignation following a humiliating 6-1 loss to Serbia and said his departure would not improve the team's fortunes.

Bulgaria suffered the embarrassing defeat in a friendly on Wednesday and media predicted it could lead to the 51-year-old's departure.

However, the former CSKA Sofia coach refused to consider stepping down.

"I don't know why they're always talking about resignation," he said. "I doubt that coaches' resignations will sort matters out.

"Bulgarian football doesn't have the potential that we want to have."

Bayern Munich take Donovan on loan

Bayern Munich will sign US international forward Landon Donovan on a loan deal running from Jan. 1 to at least the middle of March and possibly until the end of the season, the Bundesliga club said.

Donovan, 26, has been training with Bayern for the last week and a half and has impressed coach Juergen Klinsmann.

"The goal will be to see if we can get him long term, at least until the end of the season," Klinsmann said.

Donovan was the top scorer in MLS's regular season with 20 goals in 25 matches for LA Galaxy.

Walcott has surgery on injured shoulder

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed yesterday that Theo Walcott has undergone surgery on his dislocated shoulder.

Walcott, 19, suffered the injury while training with the England squad ahead of the friendly win against Germany. He is expected to be sidelined for at least three months.

Wenger has criticised the timing of the clash in Berlin but refused to blame the FA for the training-ground accident.

"It was an accident that could have happened anywhere," he said.

"In a moment like that you do not think about compensation you think about how you can replace the player."

Frictions in Arsenal squad says Gallas

Arsenal captain William Gallas has claimed that there are frictions within the squad in an attempt to divert attention away from criticism of his captaincy.

The French defender said that the players need to start fighting the opposition rather than each other.

"When, as captain, some players come up to you and talk to you about a player, complaining about him, and then during the match you speak to this player and the player in question insults us," Gallas said.

"There comes a time where we can no longer comprehend how this can happen."

Gallas also revealed there was a row at half-time of the 4-4 home draw with Tottenham, saying: "There was a problem at half-time. The only thing that I could say at half-time was 'Guys, we resolve these problems after the match, not at half-time."

Amauri can't wait to face Inter

Juventus striker Amauri is brimming with confidence ahead of his first clash against Inter. The Brazilian hitman, who has scored five goals this season, expects in-form Juve to triumph in the Derby d'Italia.

"If we go out there with the same mentality we have shown in the last seven games we will do well," Amauri said.

"Results at this stage aren't definitive, but this is a crucial game because the winners will be top of the table.

"We are on good form, but they did well to win at Palermo. We are better than the Inter side that I saw on Saturday."

Adriano rejects Fluminense link

Adriano has quashed suggestions that he is prepared to leave Inter for Brazilian side Fluminense.

The Brazilian media have speculated that Adriano, who is out of favour with Inter coach Jose Mourinho, may return to his homeland and could be used in a part-exchange deal for Fluminense defensive ace Thiago Silva, but he denied such talk while on international duty with Brazil.

"I'm only in Brazil to wear the Selecao shirt," he said.

"I can only stress that I have a contract with Inter until 2010 and I have not heard anything from Fluminense over the past few days. I may return to Rio de Janeiro in the future, but it would only be to join Flamengo - the team I support."