Sporting briefs

CASSANO: Italy forward Antonio Cassano returned to training with Milan yesterday for the first time since heart surgery. The 29-year-old has not played since falling ill following a match at Roma on October 30. Five days later, he underwent surgery to repair a minor heart defect. Cassano trained with eight other first team members who didn’t play in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona.

VILLA: Aston Villa will put talks on the future of a trio of players out of contract this summer on hold until the end of the season. The current deals of veteran striker Emile Heskey, defender Carlos Cuellar and number two keeper Brad Guzan run out in June. Villa have held initial negotiations with Cuellar and Guzan with the former already indicating he would like to remain at the midlands club.

OLYMPICS: Oman shocked Uzbekistan 2-0 yesterday to reach next month’s sudden-death game against Senegal for a place at the London Olympics. Two first-half strikes were enough to gain the necessary win for Oman. Oman now go into an April 23 intercontinental play-off with Senegal in Coventry, England, with the winner gaining entry to this year’s Olympics.

ESPANYOL: Spanish top-flight side Espanyol have admitted they could be forced into a fire-sale of their best players this summer as they struggle to balance the books in the midst of the economic crisis. The Barcelona-based club are believed to have total debts in the region of €160 million, with a significant lump of that owed to Spain’s tax authorities. Those figures are far higher than their overall budget for this season.

ARRESTS: Israeli police have arrested 16 suspects in connection with a racist attack by Jewish football fans on Arab cleaners at Jerusalem’s main shopping centre, a spokesman said “Israeli police have until now arrested 16 suspects based on CCTV footage,” Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. “All of the suspects (were arrested) in connection with racial incitement.”

DUNFERMLINE: Jim Jefferies is closing in on his first signing as Dunfermline manager, with Spanish goalkeeper Bernardo Dominguez Fernandez agreeing a move to East End Park, subject to international clearance. Jefferies succeeded Jim McIntyre at Dunfermline last week and recognised the need for a goalkeeper to challenge and back up Chris Smith.