Sporting briefs

Keller: Schalke 04 have decided to stick with coach Jens Keller and agreed to a new deal until 2015. With Schalke battling for a Champions League qualifying spot after a poor first half to the season, Keller, whose contract expires at the end of the season, was credited with turning their fortunes around after taking over in December. The 42-year-old Keller took over from Huub Stevens at Schalke in December.

Monaco: Monaco won promo-tion to Ligue 1 after Ibrahima Toure’s last-gasp goal gave them a 1-0 victory at Nimes yesterday. Toure scored in stoppage time to help Monaco open up an un-assailable lead with two games re-maining. The 2004 Champions League runners-up have spent millions of euros to lure players to the club and have been coached by Italian Claudio Ranieri.

Skrtel: Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists he has no plans to sell Martin Skrtel. Skrtel’s future has been the subject of conjecture after losing his spot in the side to Jamie Carragher this year. “It has been difficult for him and I’ve acknowledged that,” Rodgers said. “It has been unfortunate for Martin but he has been a loyal member of the squad and is still very much part of my plans here.”

Ciani: Lazio suffered a blow to their chances of beating Roma in the Italian Cup final when it was learnt yesterday that defender Michael Ciani had pulled a thigh muscle. The Frenchman was ordered to rest and faces a race against time to be fit for the final at the Olimpico on May 26.

Inter: Forward Antonio Cassano and defender Yuto Nagatomo return to the Inter squad that travels to relegation-threatened Genoa today, manager Andrea Stra-maccioni said yesterday. “Cassano is still recovering. He’s still not 100 per cent but on Sunday (today) he will be able to contribute to the team,” Stramaccioni said.

In Greece: Olympiakos overcame Asteras Tripolis 3-1 after extra time to win the Greek Cup for the 26th time in the club’s history and complete a domestic double. The match was held up for several minutes after Olympiakos’s third goal when tempers boiled over and several skirmishes broke out.