Football news

Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba has revealed he took part in an impromptu game of football while on holiday in May, two months after collapsing during an FA Cup tie against Tottenham with a cardiac arrest.

The 24-year-old has made a remarkable recovery since then but it is still not known when, or if, the former England U-21 international will be able to return to professional football.

However, Muamba revealed that he played some football while on holiday in Dubai.

“I was staying in a hotel and saw other footballers playing and I told my friends and girlfriend – ‘I am sorry but I am going to play football’. She goes ‘are you sure?’ and I say ‘yes’ and I just went in there.”

Fiorentina sign Aquilani from Reds

Fiorentina signed Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani from Liverpool yesterday with media reports putting the fee at seven million euros.

“Fiorentina announces the acquisition of Borja Valero Iglesias and Gonzalo Javier Rodriguez from Villareal Club and Alberto Aquilani from Liverpool Football Club,” the club said.

Italian media suggested that Liverpool will pay part of Aquilani’s salary, which has been put at as much as €1.7 million a season.

Aquilani has had a troubled time since signing for Liverpool from Roma in 2009, failing to establish himself as a dominant midfield presence in a team that struggled for form.

Stan fights on

Aston Villa skipper Stiliyan Petrov appears to be winning his fight to overcome acute leukaemia after the club confirmed the midfielder is in remission.

Bulgarian international Petrov has been undergoing regular treatment at a London hospital since the illness was diagnosed four months ago.

Now the player nicknamed ‘Stan’ has received a positive bulletin in his battle to defeat the cancer.

Villa, in a club statement, said: “It is with great delight that the club can confirm on behalf of our long-standing captain, Stiliyan Petrov, that Stan’s acute leukae-mia is in remission.”

Wise resigns from CPO board

Dennis Wise said he had resigned as a director of Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) just eight months after rejoining the board.

Former Blues captain Wise accepted an offer to help run the fan-led company which owns the freehold of Stamford Bridge in November after the club failed to convince CPO to sell them back the land under the stadium.

Reports said Wise decided to step down due to alleged intrusion into his private life by an opponent of Chelsea’s bid.

Vidic goes on tour with United

Alex Ferguson has confirmed skipper Nemanja Vidic will be part of Manchester United’s tour of Scandinavia.

The Serbian has now completed his recovery from a cruciate operation and will be around to bolster Ferguson’s defensive options at a time when both Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling are injured.

In addition, Brazilian full-back Rafael is still on international duty, meaning Ferguson only has four first-choice defenders available following the return of his Euro 2012 contingent.

United face Norwegian outfit Valerenga tomorrow, then Barcelona in Gothenburg on Wednesday before concluding their pre-season programme away to Hannover on August 11.

Masiello banned

Former Bari defender Andrea Masiello, now with Atalanta, was banned for 26 months yesterday for his part in the latest match-fixing to hit Italian football.

Promoted Sampdoria were docked one point for the forthcoming Serie A campaign and fined €30,000 and Bari, who play in Serie B, were docked five points and fined €80,000.

All the suspensions were handed down after the FIGC tribunal accepted plea bargain offers from the defendants.

Former Bari team-mates Alessandro Parisi, Marco Rossi and Marco Esposito were also suspended.

Parisi, who played for Torino last season, will serve a two-year ban, Rossi one year and eight months and Esposito three months and 10 days.

The trio were also fined.

Rodgers plays down Cole injury

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has played down Joe Cole’s injury after the playmaker was substituted during the Reds’ 1-0 Europa League third qualifying round victory over Gomel.

Cole, who spent last season on loan at Lille, lasted just 23 minutes before he was replaced by 17-year-old Raheem Sterling at the Central Stadion in Belarus on Thursday.

“Joe just felt his hamstring a little bit,” Rodgers said.

“I don’t think it is totally pulled and it was just a little bit of tightness so we had to take him off.

“It disrupted our plans a little bit but we thought it was better to have him come off rather than risk injury.”