Schalke: Schalke manager Felix Magath has shrugged off reports of seven of his players partying into the early hours of Sunday morning following a 0-0 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. According to the usually strict manager, they did not contravene any rules. “There were no orders for the players to be back by a certain time,” he said. “Everybody was free to do what they wanted... for me, everything is fine.”
Bruggink: Arnold Bruggink has signed with FC Twente for the rest of the season. The 33-year-old returns to the club where he began his career 17 years ago before moving on to PSV Eindhoven, Real Mallorca, Hannover.
Diakite: The agent of Lazio defender Mobido Diakite has dismissed reports linking his client with Atletico Madrid. “Atletico have not enquired about Mobido,” said Ulisse Savini. “Mobido is a player liked by many clubs but at the moment there are no negotiations.”
Petrov: Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has revealed skipper Stiliyan Petrov could be out of action for at least two to three weeks with a knee injury. The Bulgarian international suffered the setback during the first half of yesterday’s 1-0 defeat by Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Rosenborg: Rosenborg completed a successful defence of their Norwegian league title on Sunday thanks to a 1-0 win at home over Tromsoe. The side from Trondheim moved eight points clear of their nearest rivals and with just two games to go until the end of the season they cannot be caught. It was the 22nd time that Rosenborg have won the Norwegian title.
Carroll: Newcastle striker Andy Carroll was fined after admitting assaulting a man in a nightclub. Newcastle Crown Court heard he accidentally glassed a fellow clubber in the face when hurling a drink at him. The England U-21 international pleaded guilty to common assault. He was fined 1,000 pounds and ordered to pay a further £2,500 in compensation.
MFA Div. Three: Għargħur vs Kirkop 2-1; Luqa vs Fgura 6-2.
The Championship: Leeds vs Cardiff 0-4.
Primera Liga: R. Sociedad vs D. La Coruna 3-0.
Racing: Eleven international horses are still in the running for a start in next week’s Melbourne Cup after third declarations were made yesterday. Irish St Leger winner Sans Frontieres, who was the first horse in the order of entry, did not accept yesterday and will miss the 3,200m (two-mile) race at Flemington racecourse on November 2. Last year’s winner Shocking heads the weights at 57kgs ahead of favourite and the Bart Cummings-trained So You Think (56kgs).
Rugby League: England centre Michael Shenton is unlikely to play any further part in the Four Nations tournament following an ankle injury in his team’s opening loss to New Zealand. Scans have confirmed that the Castleford Tigers player suffered ankle ligament damage in the 24-10 defeat to the Kiwis in Wellington last Saturday. Shenton sustained the injury during the first half but played on and put in an outstanding performance in the second half, when his long break set up the tourists’ opening try.
Basketball: The opening round of the Greek League, delayed a week by a players strike, was completed on Sunday but, as Saturday, in the presence of riot police. Police were present at all four games as some players broke the strike and saw action. But it was mostly foreign players who took to the courts as the bulk of the Greek players stayed on the sideline. The strike has lost some of its strength after the league threatened players who did not show up would face heavy fines and possibly have their contracts cancelled.
Cricket: Australian Trevor Bayliss will quit as coach of the Sri Lankan team after next year’s World Cup, reports said yesterday. Bayliss has handed in his notice after more than three successful years coaching Sri Lanka and plans to finish up after the World Cup in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh next April, the reports said. Bayliss, 47, said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two children, who still live in Sydney, but he also intended to keep coaching.