BALLACK: Michael Ballack is set to hold his farewell game in Leipzig on Wednesday, June 5 with stars Jose Mourinho, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba invited. The 36-year-old midfielder retired from football in October and is planning to host a televised match between his invitation team and a World XI with the proceeds going to charity.

LUZHNIKI STADIUM: Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium will stage both the opening match and the final at the 2018 World Cup. The Luzhniki will also stage a semi-final while St Petersburg will stage the other following approval by FIFA’s executive committee at a meeting yesterday. FIFA also approved Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi as venues for the 2017 Confederations Cup, also to be held in Russia.

SNEIJDER: Wesley Sneijder has again been left out of the Inter squad to face Lazio today, as a contract row rumbles on. Inter announced their squad to face Lazio, and the Dutchman was missing from the 23 players named.

HUNGER STRIKE: A Bastia official has started a hunger strike after the French club were barred from playing at home until further notice because of a series of violent incidents. The disciplinary commission of the French League (LFP) imposed the sanction on Thursday after fans threw a barrage of fireworks outside the Furiani stadium in Corsica on Wednesday as Bastia’s 2-1 defeat by Marseille was played behind closed doors.

BENT: Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has been ruled out of the club’s Christmas programme with a hamstring injury suffered during the midweek League Cup at Norwich. Bent limped out of the quarter-final tie at Carrow Road after only half an hour. The England international underwent a scan and Villa manager Paul Lambert is resigned to being without him “for a few weeks”.

PARK: Bottom club Queens Park Rangers will be without midfielder Park Ji-sung for today’s Premier League match at home to Fulham. The South Korean has a knee problem, the club said yesterday.