Football news

Valeri Bojinov has no intention of returning to the English Premiership at the end of his loan spell with Parma.

Bojinov, 23, is on the books of Manchester City. The Bulgarian, who also played for Fiorentina and Lecce, is making quite an impact at the Tardini stadium.

"I still have a year on my contract with Man. City but I need a club like Parma that could allow me the possibility to do my job again," he said.

"I wanted to come back to Italy. Even when I left for England I knew that I would want to come back here.

"My home is here, I studied here and I have so many friends over here. England is different."

Merida hoping for Arsenal extension

Arsenal youngster Fran Merida wants to stay at the club and secure a new contract but admits he is unsure about his future while his current deal runs down.

The 19-year-old Spaniard has attracted interest from clubs such as Atletico Madrid and is a free agent at the end of the season, with his situation becoming a hot topic after his spectacular opener in the League Cup win over Liverpool in midweek.

Merida said: "At the moment I am talking to the club so I don't know what is going to happen. Hopefully everything is going to be all right.

"I am really happy here and things are going okay. I am really happy in London, too, so we will see what happens."

UEFA get tough with Dinamo Zagreb

Dinamo Zagreb have been hit with a three-point penalty by UEFA following "serious crowd disturbances" before and during their Europa League game against Timisoara on October 1.

Dinamo, who must also play their next two home games in the competition - against Ajax and Timisoara - behind closed doors, have had their points tally in Group A amended from three to zero.

Trouble flared in Timisoara city centre and at the stadium with over 30 Dinamo supporters arrested.

Dinamo won the match 3-0.

The Croatian club can appeal the decision within three days of receiving the written reasoning.

Campbell mulling tribunal route

Sol Campbell is considering taking Notts County to a tribunal to allow him to continue his career away from the League Two club.

The defender left County after just one appearance following his shock switch to the Meadow Lane outfit earlier this season, but County still hold his registration. The 35-year-old wants to continue playing, but is unable to join another club until January unless he wins special dispensation from the FA.

"I'm just fed up with it all," Campbell said.

"It might be simpler and quicker to go to a FA tribunal and sort it out.

"I need a new club to make an appeal to allow me to play again and, to do that, the club would need to put forward my case in full."

King may appeal conviction - agent

Jailed footballer Marlon King could be set to appeal against an 18-month prison sentence for sexual assault, according to his agent. Wigan striker King was found guilty on Thursday over an incident which took place in a London nightclub in December.

The 29-year-old learned within hours of his conviction that his club have decided to sack him, but his agent Tony Finnegan revealed that King has no intention of conceding his guilt.

"No one saw this coming in light of the evidence. He's very disappointed because clearly it's mistaken identity," Finnegan said.

"I asked Marlon and he said 'I'm not guilty... I want the British justice system to find me not guilty'."

Blanc accused of discrediting CONI

New Juventus president Jean Claude Blanc has been accused of lacking respect for the Italian Olympic Committe (CONI).

This week, the Frenchman claimed that Juve's next title would be their 30th. Juventus did win 29 scudetto crowns but had their last two revoked for match-fixing.

Turin lawyer Andrea Ricca Barberis has launched a case against Blanc, claiming he has publicly denounced justice.

"This relates to statements lacking in foundation and which discredit the prestige, reputation and credibility of the Federal Court of Appeal which revoked the 2005 scudetto and did not assign the 2006 title due to sporting malpractice," Barberis said.

Ronaldo, Kaka on world player list

Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, the last two winners of the World Player of the Year award, have been included in a shortlist for this year's accolade.

The 23-man shortlist was drawn up by FIFA's Football Committee and will be voted on by the captains and head coaches of the world's national teams with the winner to be announced on December 21.

FIFA shortlist:
Ballack (Germany), Buffon (Italy), Casillas (Spain), Ronaldo (Portugal), Diego (Brazil), Drogba (Ivory Coast), Essien (Ghana), Eto'o (Cameroon), Gerrard (England), Henry (France), Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Lampard (England), Luis Fabiano (Brazil), Messi (Argentina), Puyol (Spain), Ribery (France), Rooney (England), Terry (England), Torres (Spain), Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).