Football news

Bayern Munich have fined Luca Toni and Philipp Lahm for their conduct last weekend.

Toni left the stadium at half-time of the 1-1 draw with Schalke after being substituted by coach Louis van Gaal. Lahm, on the other hand, criticised the club in an interview with the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

Both have been given a "considerable fine" for their conduct after being reprimanded by Van Gaal and the club's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge before training yesterday.

"Leaving the stadium early and without permission was an unacceptable lack of discipline on the part of Luca Toni," read a club statement.

"Philipp Lahm, in his role as vice-captain, has broken the club's rules in a clear and inexcusable manner by attacking the club, the coach and his team-mates in an interview."

Popular Vasco secure promotion

Vasco da Gama, one of Brazil's most popular and successful clubs, sealed their promotion back to the top flight with four matches to spare on Saturday.

The recovery of the club from the northern districts of Rio de Janeiro from a controversial period that ended in last year's relegation follows the takeover as president by Roberto Dinamita.

Fans and players feted Roberto, a striker who played for Brazil at the 1978 and 1982 World Cups, after the 2-1 win over Juventude in front of a crowd of 80,000, a record for the season, at the Maracana.

Robson opens Thai reign with a draw

Former England captain Bryan Robson began his international coaching career with a 1-1 draw for his Thailand team in a friendly against Syria yesterday.

Playing in torrential rain, Thailand dominated throughout but went behind to Raja Rafe's 34th-minute penalty. Teerathep Winothai made amends for missing an earlier spot kick when he equalised on 59 minutes.

"It was a good match today. We were unlucky but we came back very well especially in the second half where we controlled most of the game," Robson told reporters.

Keeper Gordon out with broken arm

Scotland and Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon broke his arm in Saturday's 2-0 Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, the club said.

The 26-year-old, who was substituted in the second half at White Hart Lane after colliding with Jermain Defoe, was taken to hospital where X-rays confirmed the fracture of his left forearm.

"Craig's in a lot of pain," manager Steve Bruce told the club website.

The club, who have Hungarian international Marton Fulop and youngster Trevor Carson as reserve goalkeepers and are eighth in the league, said they did not know how long Gordon would be out of action.

Diaby to miss Ireland play-off

Midfielder Abou Diaby will not be fit to play for France in their World Cup play-off against Ireland later this month, according to Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger.

French television show Telefoot quoted Wenger as saying Diaby would be sidelined for three weeks because of a calf injury.

Diaby was replaced after 23 minutes in Arsenal's 4-1 win at Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.

France travel to Ireland next Saturday and will be at home against Giovanni Trapattoni's side the following Wednesday.

Ferguson snubbed overseas offers

Sir Alex Ferguson revealed yesterday how he turned down numerous offers to manage foreign clubs during his Manchester United career.

The 67-year-old, who has won two Champions League trophies and 11 Premier League titles, said that he had never been seduced by any of the offers.

"I've had offers from clubs to go abroad, but I've never been tempted by them," Ferguson told the News of the World.

"I am not going on record to say who they are, but you'd be surprised by the names.

"It flies over your head and you get on with life. You don't leave Manchester United."

Matthaeus says he's a German great

World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus said yesterday he was one of the greatest players ever to emerge from Germany, yet had been shunned by his own country.

"In other countries they treat idols differently and I am an idol in Germany," said the former Germany captain, who has coached clubs abroad but never in his homeland.

"This may sound a little cocky but after Franz Beckenbauer I am the second most famous German soccer personality around the world. Germany should be ashamed of the way it treats such an idol," Matthaeus told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Matthaeus said German clubs perceived him as being too much of a Bayern supporter and too closely linked with influential German tabloid Bild to give him a job.