Sporting briefs

Uchebo: VVV-Venlo striker Michael Uchebo is being targeted by Stoke. VVV sporting director Mario Captein claims the 21-year-old will go to England for talks in the next fortnight if the requisite paperwork can be arranged. He said: “They want to talk to Michael. You should see it as a sort of interview. You always want to talk to a player before you agree to sign them. It shows at least that Stoke’s interest is serious.”

Real Madrid: Real Madrid playmaker Kaka and full-backs Alvaro Arbeloa and Marcelo have all been ruled out of their side's Champions League group game at Lyon today. Spanish right-back Arbeloa has a problem with his left thigh, while Brazilian attacking midfielder Kaka has been sidelined by a muscle injury in his right leg. The club revealed on Tuesday that Kaka's comptratriot Marcelo has injured a muscle in his left thigh.

Valverde: Lyon said they have signed Mathieu Valverde as short-term cover for their injured second- and third-choice keepers Remy Vercoutre and Anthony Lopes, both out for several months. The 32-year-old signed an eight-month deal, and previously played for Bordeaux, Boulogne and Toulouse but was currently without a club.

Immoral: Two Iranian foot­ballers have felt the wrath of the country’s national federation for “immoral” on-field behaviour. Defender Mohammad Nosrati was suspended after pinching the bottom of Persepolis team-mate Sheys Rezaei during a goal celebration against rivals Damash Gilan. Rezaei suffered the same fate as officials took a dim view of the players’ intimate approach to celebrating goals.

Pizarro: Claudio Pizarro’s foot injury is not as bad as the player feared, according to Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf. Peruvian striker Pizarro told the Bild newspaper that he had “a hole in my foot”, but X-rays confirmed he had only sustained severe bruising. “He took a knock and his foot has swollen a little, but I don’t think that it is so bad,” Schaaf said.

Mandaric: Sheffield Wednesday chairman Milan Mandaric has denied newspaper reports that he is about to sell the club to an Austrian actress. The Sun published a story claiming that Sybil Danning and her husband Horst Lasse were hoping to reach an agreement with Mandaric to buy the Owls. But Mandaric stated that he had never met or spoken to either Danning or Lasse.