Sporting briefs

Donovan: United States and LA Galaxy striker Landon Donovan has been named Most Valuable Player in Major League Soccer, the league said yestereday. Donovan received the most votes in polling of players, general managers, coaches and the media. FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham and New England Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph were the two other finalists for the award. The Galaxy captain has led his team to the MLS Cup final, where they will face Real Salt Lake on Sunday, scoring 15 goals in 28 regular season and playoff games.

Nesta: Third-placed Milan will be without centre-back Alessandro Nesta, who has been in fine form this season after recovering from a career-threatening back injury, in tomorrow's home game against Cagliari due to suspension. Kakha Kaladze is tipped to take his place in the defence as Milan seek to continue their strong form after a poor start, with Daniele Bonera and Oguchi Onyewu injured.

Swine flu: Barcelona def-ender Eric Abidal has H1N1 flu and team mate Yaya Toure may also have contracted the virus. Tests showed French international Abidal had swine flu while the result of Ivory Coast midfielder Toure's check-up was still pending. Both players will miss La Liga match at Athletic Bilbao.

Gourcuff: French champions and leaders Girondins Bordeaux could be without Yoann Gourcuff when they entertain Valenciennes today. "I am slightly worried," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc told reporters when asked about the fitness of his playmaker, who was substituted with a groin injury late in France's controversial 1-1 draw with Ireland in the return of their World Cup play-off on Wednesday.

Ronaldo: Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a message to Real Madrid fans saying he will return soon from the ankle injury that has prevented him playing for the club for almost two months. "Thank you to all the Madrid fans for the support they have given me during my injury," Ronaldo wrote on the club's website (www.realmadrid.com). "I will be back soon."

MFA Division Three: Mdina Knights vs Mġarr United 2-0; Mtarfa vs Kalkara 2-1.

In England: The Championship - Swansea vs Derby 1-0. League One - Southend vs Milton Keynes Dons 2-1.

Rowing: The Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race, first held in 1829, will have a title sponsor next year for the first time. The four-mile, 374-yard River Thames race from Putney to Mortlake, one of the world's oldest sporting events, is to be renamed the Xchanging Boat Race. The business services company has been a sponsor for four years but now becomes title sponsor.

Cycling: Spain's Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has reached a preliminary agreement with his Astana team to fulfil his contract until the end of 2010. He has been in contact with several other teams because his Kazakh-funded Astana outfit has yet to be granted a ProTour licence by the International Cycling Union (UCI) for next year.