Football news

Injured Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has a vision of getting fit and remaining at Goodison Park for the rest of his career.

The Spaniard is not expected to return to action until next year after an infection delayed his progress from a serious knee injury.

"I can see myself finishing my career at Everton," he said. "That would not surprise me at all. I have never spent as much time at a club as I have spent here, so that means something.

"I have found a place where I am confident I can achieve my ambitions and where I have improved as a player and learned a lot of things as a person."

Hamsik staying put - Napoli

Napoli have played down speculation linking Marek Hamsik with a £25 million move to Chelsea.

Reports in England suggest the 22-year-old midfielder is a target for the Blues. But Napoli sporting director Riccardo Bigon insists the Slovakia international will be staying with the Serie A club.

"We have not received any official offer," said Bigon. "If some clubs are monitoring our players it gives us pleasure because it means we are doing a good job.

"But Hamsik is an important player and he will remain with us."

Hamsik joined Napoli in the summer of 2007 and is under contract until June 2012.

Spanish League delay strike decision

The Spanish football league have postponed until the start of next month a meeting where the possibility of strike action over proposed tax changes was to be discussed.

Earlier this month, the LFP held an extraordinary general meeting with officials from all the clubs in Spain's top two divisions to consider, among other things, the planned changes, which would see high-earning foreign players lose their right to drastically-reduced tax charges.

It was decided at the time to delay any decision on what action to take until a second extraordinary meeting, giving a league commission time to hold dialogue with the government.

That second meeting was scheduled to be held today but the LFP announced it would now be held on Friday, December 4.

Atletico fined over Pellegrini incident

Atletico Madrid have been fined €150 for an incident during the match against city rivals Real on November 7 in which Real coach Manuel Pellegrini was struck by a small object thrown from the crowd.

The referee halted the game for around a minute midway through the second half after Pellegrini was hit in the face but he was not seriously hurt and played down the incident at the post-match news conference.

Atletico have been fined several times in the past due to the actions of fans, including €3,000 in the 2005/06 season when Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop was pelted with missiles.

Beckham silenced his critics - Arena

David Beckham, booed on his return to the United States, has silenced his critics by helping the LA Galaxy to the MLS Cup final, his coach Bruce Arena said.

The England midfielder's return had also coincided with claims in a book that he had fallen out with Galaxy favourite Landon Donovan and for a moment it seemed the entire season could turn into a circus.

"The reason it didn't happen is because of the way David played and the way he demonstrated that he cares about the team," Arena said.

"His performances quietened his detractors. At the Milan exhibition there were some frustrated fans ... but I never felt that David wouldn't be able to handle it.

"He has been through an awful lot in his career, he has played with some of the biggest clubs and been through a lot of adversity."

Player quits club over fans' threat

Tigre midfielder Matias Gimenez, threatened by his own team's hardcore fans who accuse him of not trying hard enough, would not play for the club any longer, he said.

Gimenez told reporters he was accosted in the street on his way home and threatened with violence, saying the hooligans criticised his "attitude on the pitch... we argued a bit and then something very nasty happened but I won't go into detail."

The 26-year-old said he would continue to train with Tigre and seek a move during the next transfer window.

"I took the decision for the security of my family... I don't want anything to happen to them... I have two children who really are worth more than a ball."

Dida lacks security, says Albertosi

Former Milan and Cagliari goalkeeper Enrico Albertosi is not a fan of Nelson Dida.

The 70-year-old former Italy international feels Dida doesn't have the right attributes to be Milan's no.1 goalkeeper.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Albertosi said: "I have never liked Dida, not even in his best moments, because he has never ever oozed an air of security.

"Unfortunately today Italy has only one great goalkeeper, Gigi Buffon. After him, Julio Cesar and Sebastien Frey are the best, because in Italy we don't have patience with the youngsters."

Asked for his opinion about football today, Albertosi replied: "We enjoyed ourselves on the pitch more. Today football is only athletic, too much pressing, too many tactical fouls, too many whistles from the referees."